3\0 ^l^mm ftat ftabe 5)elpeti Praise God, from Whom all blessiiiu'sllow, Praise llim, all ereatiires here below; Praise ]Lim above, angelic host ; Praist' Father, !:>on, and Holy Ghost. THE CHORISTER BOYS' By Mrs. Anderson f^vmns tljat Date 3|elpet> 3tim a Collection of ^pmn0 toliiclb liatic been found mo0t u0ef ul to t^e Children of Sl^en CUiteB taitt) tlje aisgigtance of numerous Ijelpetg bp ♦ ♦ ♦ dfll. '^. fetead BebioeD dBDttion SStitI) man? 31IIui3tration0 mm gotk SDoutiltda?, 9ag< S, Company 1904 NOV 15 BB9 Copyright, 1897 By Doubleday and McClure Co, Copyright, 1904 By Doubleday, Page & Company Published, October, 1904 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS " The Chorister Boys " Frontispiece FACING PAGE Bishop Thomas Ken 32 John Milton 34 The Alps 38 James II 40 Ebenezer Elliott 44 Rev. Samuel Francis Smith, D. D 46 Detail of Luther Monument at Worms ... 52 Gustavus II. Adolphus 58 A Battle in the Civil War 60 Oliver Cromwell 62 " The Annunciation " 66 " Apparition to the Shepherds " 68 " Birth of Jesus " 80 " Holy Women at the Tomb of Christ "... 90 Sir Walter Scott 96 Cardinal John Henry Newman 106 "The Good Shepherd" 1 10 William Cowper 116 Ira David Sankey 118 Richard Baxter 130 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— C^«/»««^^ FACING PAGE Augustus Montague Toplady, A. B 140 Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D 148 Rev. Charles Wesley, A. M 152 Saint Francis Xavier 1 56 The Right Rev. Reginald Heber, D. D. . . . 174 Phillip Doddridge, D. D 182 Saint Bernard 186 Rev. John New^ton 188 "EcceHomo" 198 Carlyle's House, Cheyne Row, London . . . 204 John Keble 206 Frederick William Faber 212 A Winter View of Longfellow's Home, Cambridge 216 From Goethe's Seat, Heidelberg 218 "Daniel" 220 Alexander Pope 224 John Greenleaf Whittier 226 Oliver Wendell Holmes 228 Joseph Addison 232 PREFACE TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. THE success which has attended the publication of the Enghsh edition of this little collection of " Hymns that have Helped," encourages the hope that it may be found equally acceptable to the American public. The Service of Song is part of the Service of Man that is universal. It has hitherto been fortunate to es- cape the sectarian limitations of territorial and politi- cal divisions. According to an analysis made of the hymns contained in the most widely-used American hymn-books down to the year i8So, the average num- ber of hymns of a purely American origin was not quite one in seven. There is probably no hymn-book in general use in any part of the British empire which does not count many American hymns among those which are most popular and helpful. Custom-houses may divide the producers and consumers of other manu- factures. No Chinese wall of protective tariffs will ever prevent the two great English-speaking nations practising free trade in hymns. The English-speaking race; has presumably no difficulty in recognising its unity when praising its Maker. The principle upon which this collection has been compiled is more American than English. For the basic idea of the book is that of appealing directly to the experience of the individual ; that of applying the test not of the standard of excellence of the literary expert, or of orthodoxy as defined by the authority of churches, but that of its helpfulness to men and women. PREFACE TO AMERICAN EDITION. I claim nothing for the collection beyond what its name implies. The hymns which it contains are hymns which have helped all sorts and conditions of men to do their work in this world and to face with composure or exultation the coming of the Messenger which sum- mons them to the next. In its compilation I have naturally given the foremost place to those hymns which have helped those who have helped their fellows most. Some hymns are like jewelled chalices from which generation after generation has drunk of the water of life. Others are but as the rusty dipper from which the wayworn traveller cools his thirst. The workmanship of the vessel has weighed little compared with the authentic evidence that it was the means whereby the thirsty soul of man was able to drink and live. In appealing to the American public I do not feel as if I were venturing upon ground that was more strange to me than that of my native land. For the English Nonconformist has always been more in fellowship with the churches of America than with the Anglican Church that is established and endowed in his own country. The men of the "Mayflo\ver,"who founded New England, and their descendants after them, have always been more of our kith and kin than the representatives of the church of Laud and the Stuarts. The children of the Puritans in the Old World and in the New form one family, in a much more real and vital sense than those who are outside the circle are able to realise. And within that circle there is no language of the household so familiar as sacred song. It would be difficult to overestimate the extent to which the religious life of the English-speaking world has been quickened and gladdened by the Songs and Solos of Mr. Sankey. And before Mr. Sankey, the " American Sacred Songster " of Mr. Phillips had done much to enliven our Service of Song. To this day the American hymns and spiritual songs are more popular among our masses than any others. When mission PREFACE TO AMERICAN EDITION. / services are held, or a revival is under way, in the ma- jority of cases the American hymns are used as a matter of course. This is not the case with the high Anglican services, but even there it would not be impossible to trace the influence of the inspiriting strains of the American Sacred Song. When we know the favourite hymns of a man we have gained a glimpse into his inner life. When we know the hymns which have most helped the English of the Motherland, we gain more insight into the real trend of the aspirations and the deepest emotions of the nation than can be gained from the perusal of the entire Brit- ish press. Hence, I hope it may be possible that in the United States this collection may be of some slight service in helping to a better understanding betvv'een the two nations. These hymns have been most helpful to us. What are the hymns which have been most help- ful to you ? I want to publish as a sequel or supplement to this volume a second series of " Hymns that have Helped," based on the recorded experience of Americans. I do not know whether it may be possible to elicit an ade- quate response, but " nothing venture, nothing win." The attempt to interrogate the foremost men and women in the States and Territories as to the hymns which have most helped them may possibly be less diffi- cult where the Interviewer is indigenous than it is else- where. The experiment is well worth trying, but the experience gained in preparing the English edition sug- gested the expediency of slightly varying the form of interrogation. I originally appealed to those who were willing to help in the work of compilation : first, for the personal experience of the individual addressed ; second, for note or reference to record of instances where hymns had influenced those whose lives had greatly influenced the history of mankind ; thirdly, for brief note of instances in which hymns had altered human lives, — even of the most obscure; and, fourthly, for reference to incidents 8 PREFACE TO AMERICAN EDITION. where hymns had figured conspicuously in some not- able episode in human history. To these four I would add in making my appeal to the American public a fifth request ; namely, that I should be furnished with the name of the living American whose life experience as to the helpful value of hymns my correspondent thinks would be most interesting and valuable to his countrymen. May I ask all readers who are disposed to co-operate with me in preparing such an American sequel to the present volume to address their communications to me, care of the publishers of this volume, Doubleday, Page & Company, 133-137 East Sixteenth Street, New York, U. S. A. W. T. Stead. INTRODUCTION. THERE are now nearly half a million hymns, nomi- nally Christian, in the two hundred languages or dialects in which Christianity is preached. The "Dictionary of Hymnology," compiled by the Rev. John Julian, M.A., contains over sixteen hundred closely-printed double-column pages, giving an account of some five thousand authors and translators of thirty thousand hymns, — not ten per cent of the immense mass. There are said to be no fewer than 269 hymnals in the Church of England. But " Hymns Ancient and Modern " is rapidly ousting all others. In 1894 it was in use in over ten thousand churches. The " Hymnal Companion" had 1,478 supporters, run close by "Church Hymns" of the S. P. C. K. with 1,426, but only 379 used any other than these three collections. Of 1,058 London churches, " Hymns Ancient and Mod- ern " were in use in 695. Of Methodist, Roman Catho- lic, Nonconformist, and Presbyterian hymnals there is no end. Yet, numerous as they are, the demand of the public for hymns continues unabated. How many hymn-books have been published this century no t)ne can possibly say. But of " Hymns Ancient and Mod- ern " no fewer than thirty-five millions have been circu- lated in the last thirty-five years, giving an average sale of close upon a million a year, or nearly three thousand per day, year in and year out, Sunday and week-day, ever since it was first published in i860. It is impossible to estimate the number of hymn-books sold outside the Church of England at a less figure. We have, there- fore, to face the amazing fact that of collections of sacred poetry the British public's normal regular con- sumption is two millions a year. It is thus possible 10 INTRODUCTION. that this collection, which is unique in its way, may have its share of popular support. It is at least of manageable dimensions. Most modem hymn-books suffer from corpulence. One thousand hymns seem to be regarded as the normal limit, a minimum which many compilers exceed. In putting together the present list of about one hun- dred and fifty hymns, one feels somewhat like a captain of a cricket team selecting the first eleven for his county. Every one knows Vihat resentment such a process neces- sarily creates among those who are relegated to the second eleven, and how all their friends deplore the blindness and injustice which led to their exclusion. Still, it cannot be helped ; and although there are many hymns I should like to have seen in this selection, the limits are inexorable, and I have chosen my "first eleven " for better or for worse. This Hymnal has been completed by the voluntary co-operation of a multitude of willing workers to whom I appealed, in the first place, for their own experience; in the second, for the well-authenticated record of how this or that hymn has helped those " whose lives sub- lime, shed undimmed splendour over unmeasured time ; " in the third place, for brief notes of instances in which hymns have altered human lives; and fourthly, for references to incidents such as that of the victor- psalm at Dunbar, where a hymn has figured conspicu- ously in some notable episode of human history. This Hymnal has no claim to literary merit other than that which attaches to hymns which have a well- attested value as having been the channel through which mortal man has heard the voice of God, or which have enabled him to commune with his Maker. Some day I hope, if I may be spared, to edit a commentary on the Bible on similar principles. Miss Hankey, the author of the ver\' popular "Tell me the Old, Old Story," while writing with approval of the method of compiling this collection, adds a word of caution: — INTRODUCTION. 1 1 " Still waters run deep." We must not expect all who are helped by hymns to publish tlieir special preferences and expe- riences, and among our own fellow-countrymen especially, every man's heart is his castle. Yet there are yearnings shared by all. To express and interpret these yearnings, to deepen and guide them, is the work of the hymn-writer. The object of this collection, of course, is to ascer- tain what writers have succeeded best. It is a very difficult task, even when the compiler is assisted by- correspondence from the uttermost ends of the earth. Still, the task, though arduous, has been pleasant. Who can estimate the incalculable force for goodness and kindness and honest living that these hynms rep- resent ! Each of them is as seed-corn bearing harvests by which the nations live. That is true of all hymns, for in them dwells the real catholicity of the Christian Church. Well said Henry Ward Beecher: — There is almost no heresy in the hymn-book. In hymns and psalms we have a universal ritual. It is the theology of the heart that unites men. Our very childhood is embalmed in sacred tunes and hymns. Our early lives and the lives of our parents hang in the atmosphere of sacred song. The art of singing together is one that is forever winding invisible threads about persons. In hymns, as in iron-clads and many other inventions, France has led the way. Clement Marot was the first to popularise the Psalms as the Song Book of the peo- ple. " His version became the book of song in the castle as well as in the cottage, for recreation, and for at work ; the lady at the hall, the weaver at the loom, the peasant at the plough, the first lesson taught to children, the last words whispered to or uttered by the dying man." I was reminded of the astonishing effect produced by the French innovation by the influence which the Salvation Army songs often exercise on a population which hears them for the first time. It was a sight to see and not to forget, — a string of cab- men at a north-country station sitting on a fence, sing- 12 INTRODUCTION. ing the hymns of the Salvation Army in the intervals between the trains. The same thing was observed in Germany and in Scotland. Luther's doctrine would have fallen com- paratively flat had not his psalms and hymns given wings to his teaching. They were carried all over the country by wandering students and pedlers, and became so popular that they even found their way into the Roman Catholic Church, so that a Romanist declared : " The whole people is singing itself into the Lutheran doctrine." And no wonder; for Luther was one of the first to mark the great truth that the tune is more important than the words. With him the tune was first, the words second. Luther fashioned the words to the tune. " The rhythm of the song was always in his ear as he worked on it ; he carefully fitted the syllables to the notes. In certain places it is seen that he did violence to the language to fit it to the exigencies of the music." But the German reformer had a good notion of what a tune should be. He said : — The words of hymns should have a swing and a good strong metre, so that the congregation might catch up the tune to join in with it. Let us bid good-bye to the music of Gregory, and take the common songs of our own people, as they sing them at harvests, at village festivals, at weddings, and at funerals, for use in our churches. Man can as well praise God in one tune as the other, and it is a pity that such pretty songs as these should be kept any longer from the service of their Maker. Mr. Reginald Brett went too far when he declared that the music and congregational singing were the causes of emotion, and not the words of any hymn ; but there is no doubt that Mr. Balfour was right when he said : — One of the [great merits of hymns lies in the associations which attach to them, from which it follows that they cannot really be considered apart from the tunes to which they are habitually set. In my opinion, the editor of a hymn-book who INTRODUCTION. I3 deliberately divorces old words from their accustomed setting is an iconoclast of the worst order. I hope that in affixing as far as possible the old fa- miliar tunes to this collection, I may escape the major excommunication. It is a fashion in some quarters to sneer at the poeti- cal value of hymns. A glance, however, through the pages of this collection, will suffice to show that, while some hymns may fall far below the standard of first-class poetry, many, if not the majority, will fairly rank with the best verse that our race has produced. Modern hymnologists are no longer of the opinion of the worthy men who compiled a hymn-book for one of the straiter sects of orthodox dissenters, in which it is gravely set forth that " poetry itself is objectionable as bearing the spirit and imagination of man." On this I am glad to have Mrs. Meynell's mature and dispassionate judgment against the disparaging observations of Mr. William Morris and Mr. Coventry Patmore. Mrs. Meynell says : — Hymns have, and doubtless always will have, a power over men's minds; and I don't wonder at it, for I think — against the usual literary opinion — that many popular hymns are very beautiful, and that their authors made literature without know- ing it. Personally I have none of those early associations with hymns. I never heard any in my childhood. Consequently, I think I have been touched by the real beauty of hymns, and not by the mere accident of association. There only remains one word to say as to the ex- tremely broad view which I have taken of my duties as an editor. Never before in any popular hymnal have hymns to the Virgin jostled the Confession of the Jew- ish faith, revolutionary songs elbowed the ancient an- thems of the Church, while psalms and hymns and spiritual songs of all countries and of all creeds and of none stand side by side on an equal footing, each exhibiting as its sole credential that it has helped the human heart to love, to dare, and to aspire, and 14 INTRODUCTION. strengthened man to bear his part worthily in the war fare of life. It is well when we introduce the million to the study of comparative religion that the Religions should be on their best behaviour. All religions show their best manners in sacred song. But until this little book chanced to fall into the hands of its readers, how many of them were utterly oblivious of the treasures of beauty, of wisdom, and of love that were to be found outside the cover of the hymn-book of their own church? Here at least Roman, Greek, Lutheran, Cal- vinist, Methodist, Unitarian, and Jew are recognisable only by the common accents of a common faith in the One Father in Whose family all we are brethren. PREFACE. THE songs of the English-speaking people are for the most part hymns. For the immense majority of our people to-day the only minstrelsy is that of the hymn-book. And this is as true of our race beyond the sea as it is of our race at home. Of the making of collections of hymns there is no end. But so far as I have been able to discover, no collection of hymns has ever been made based upon the principle of including in it only those hymns which have been most helpful to the men and women who have most influenced their fellow-men. Yet surely those hymns which have most helped the greatest and best of our race are those which bear, as it were, the hall-mark of Heaven. The root idea of this Hymnal is to select the hymns, not by the fine or finical ear of the critic in the study, or even by the exalted judgment of the recluse in the cloister, but by the recorded experience of mankind. Here and thus did this hymn help me : that is the best of all possible arguments in favour of believing that it will prove helpful under similar circumstances to simi- lar characters. The hymn may be doggerel poetry, it may contain heretical theology, its grammar may be faulty and its metaphors atrocious, but if that hymn proved itself a staff and a stay to some heroic soul in the darkest hours of his life's pilgrimage, then that hymn has won its right to a place among the sacred songs through which God has spoken to the soul of man. Who is there among the men and women of this generation who has not, at some time or other, experi- enced the strange and subtle influence of sacred song .' Hymns have rung in the ears of some of us while still l6 PREFACE. wandering idly in the streets of the City of Destruction, stern and shrill as the bugle-blast that rouses the sleep- ing camp to prepare for the onslaught of the foe. Their melody has haunted the ear amid the murmur of the mart and the roar of the street. In the storm and stress of life's battle the echo of their sweet refrain has renewed our strength and dispelled our fears. They have been, as it were, the voices of the angels of God, and when we have heard them we could hear no other sound, neither the growling of the lions in the path nor the curses and threatenings of the fiends from the pit. Around the hymn and the hymn tune how many asso- ciations gather from the earliest days, when, as infants, we were hushed to sleep on our mother's lap by their monotonous chant 1 At this moment, on the slope of the Rockies, or in the sweltering jungles of India, in crowded Australian city, or secluded English hamlet, the sound of some simple hymn tune will, as by mere magic spell, call from the silent grave the shadowy forms of the unforgotten dead, and transport the listener, involuntarily, over land and sea, to the scene of his childhood's years, to the village school, to the parish church. In our pilgrimage through life we discover the hymns which help. We come out of trials and tempta- tions with hymns clinging to our memory like burrs. Some of us could almost use the hymn-book as the key to our autobiography. Hymns, like angels and other ministers of grace, often help us and disappear into the void. It is not often that the hymn of our youth is the hymn of our old age. Experience of life is the natural selector of the truly human hymnal. There is a curious and not a very creditable shrinking on the part of many to testify as to their experience in the deeper matters of the soul. It is an inverted ego- tism, — selfishness masquerading in disguise of reluc- tance to speak of self. Wanderers across the wilderness of Life ought not to be chary of teUing their fellow- travellers where they found the green oasis, the healing spring, or the shadow of a great rock in a desert land. PREFACE. 17 It is not regarded as egotism when the passing steamer signals across the Atlantic wave news of her escape from perils of iceberg or fog, or welcome news of good cheer. Yet individuals shrink into themselves, repress- ing rigorously the fraternal instinct which bids them communicate the fruits of their experience to their fel- lows. Therein they deprive themselves of a share in the communion of saints, and refuse to partake with ♦heir brother of the sacramental cup of human sym- pathy, or to break the sacred bread of the deeper ex- periences. " Hymns that have Helped Me." What hymns have helped you ? And if they have helped you, how can you better repay the debt you owe to your helper than by setting them forth, stamped with the tribute of your gratitude, to help other mortals in like straits to your- self .'' All of us have our moments when we are near to the mood of the hero and the saint, and it is something to know what hymns help most to take us there, and keep us at that higher pitch. Such in substance was my appeal. I sent it out in broadcast, and received many widely varying responses. Lord Rosebery, for instance, declined " confession in general " to the public on the subject. The Archbishop of Canterbury referred me to a hymnal which he him- self had compiled many years ago. The Prince of Wales indicated his preference for Mrs. Adams' well- known hymn. The Dean of St. Paul's disapproved of the principle of the hymn-book, and wrote as fol- lows : — I imagine that hymns are one of the best instruments for im- planting religious ideas in the minds of children, and as 1 can- not think of any religion that can have the desired influence from which the essential doctrines of Christianity are excluded, I must decline to accept your courteous invitation to take part in compiling an unsectarian hymn-book. As if the "essential doctrines" must be excluded because the Hymnal is unsectarian 1 Mr. Grant Allen replied : — [8 PREFACE. I do not remember that any hymn, or, for the matter of that, any text of scripture, maxim, or line of poetry, was ever of the least use to me. There are poems which I love, such as Shel- ley's "Skylark;" but I cannot honestly say they ever "helped" me. I never needed help, other than physical or monetary. My own philosophy has always amply sufficed me. It is no doubt difficult to obtain a frank and full statement as to the " Hymns that have Helped " people, owing to the fact that all such confessions must be more or less autobiographical, and deal with the hidden mat- ters of inner spiritual life. The Bishop of Winchester says : — I agree with you in thinking that a compilation made in the manner and on the lines proposed will have a special interest, and, subject to the limitations I refer to in this note, I heartily wish you success in your endeavour ; but I am not quite at one with you in regarding it to be the duty of all who could do so to tell you for publication not merely what hymns they have found helpful, but how, and where, and when the help has been given. To do this with any approach to completeness would require not an autobiography only, but an autobiography respecting the sins, the sorrows, the temptations, and the blessings of the inner life of each one of us. There may be a few men who can make such thoughts and memory public with- out harm to themselves or others, but the number of such is small, and I am not of them. Mrs. Humphry Ward goes further than the Bishop, and maintains that she cannot help saying that the question she is asked seems to her to be just that one which should not be answered, if one sets any value upon religious feeling and religious life. This is rather a hard saying, coming as it does from the author of " Robert Elsmere," which is a more or less successful attempt to unveil the hidden movements of religious thought and religious life in the soul of her hero before the eyes of the million. Dr. Rigg, the well-known Wesleyan Methodist min> ister, noted with a certain grim satisfaction the Metho- dist note in my appeal for experiences, and made me PREFACE. 19 out a list of hymns which he found peculiarly helpful as customary and companion-aids in times of spiritual need. He said: — In my list of hymns I do not inchide such hymns or religious poems as may have deeply touched my sympathy and even ex- pressed my feelings, but yet at the same time have not been the means of lifting me above myself into the region of faith or hope, or in any way of strengthening me against my moods of despondency or v^eakness. One eminent philosdpher excused himself from con- tributing on grounds characteristically stated in the fol- lowing letter: — Dear Sir, — I fear I shall be unable to aid you in the undertaking described in your letter of the nth. My own experience furnishes no examples of the kind you wish. If parents had more sense than is commonly found among them, they would never dream of setting their children to learn hymns as tasks. With me the effect was not to generate any liking for this or that hymn, but to generate a dislike for hymns at large. The process of learning was a penalty, and the feeling associated with that penalty became a feeling associated with hymns in general. Hence it results that I cannot name any "hymn that has helped me." — Faithfully yours, Herbert Spencer. On the other hand, Mr. Mark Whitwell, the well- known citizen and philanthropist of Bristol, sends me a list of twenty-three hymns, all of which he committed to memory before he was four years of age. He writes : — I really enjoyed learning them ; it was a real pleasure to me, partly because it gave my father so much pleasure to hear me repeat them. For my own part, I will gladly take my turn with the rest in testifying, conscious though I am that the hymn which helped me most can lay no claim to pre-eminent merit as poetry. It is Newton's hymn, which begins, " Begone, unbelief." I can remember my mother sing- ing it when I was a tiny boy, barely able to see over the 20 PREFACE. book-ledge in the minister's pew; and to this day, whenever I am in doleful dumps, and the stars in their courses appear to be fighting against me, that one dog- gerel verse comes back clear as a blackbird's note through the morning mist: — His love in time past Forbids me to think Ke '11 leave me at last In trouble to sink. Each sweet Ebenezer I have in review Confirms his good pleasure To help me quite_through. The rhyme is bad enough, no doubt ; the logic may or may not be rational ; but the verse as it is, with all its shortcomings, has been as a life-buoy, keeping my head above the waves when the sea raged and was tem- pestuous, and when all else failed. What that verse has been to me, other verses have been to other men and other women. And what I have tried to do in this " Penny Hymnal " is to collate from the multitudinous record of diversified human experience the hymns which have helped most, in order to present them with some record of how, and where, and when, and whom they have helped, as a compendious collection for the use of every one. I have to express my indebtedness to many friends and helpers of all sorts and conditions of men and women who have communicated with me on the sub- ject of" Hymns that have Helped." The books which have been most helpful are JuUan's monumental " Dic- tionary of Hymns," Horder's " Hymn-Lover," Duf- field's " English Hymns," Marson's " Psalms at Work," Dr. Ker's " The Psalms in Historj' and Biography," and Stevenson's " Notes on the Methodist Hymn Book." I have also to acknowledge my indebtedness to the following authors or owners of copyright hymns for permission kindly given to use them in this collection : PREFACE. 21 To the Rev. S. Baring-Gould for " Onward, Christian Soldiers;" to the representatives of the late Dean Alford for the use of " Forward be our Watchword ; " to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge for the use of the Rev. J. E. Bode's hymn, " O Jesu, I have promised," and the Rev. J. E. Ellerton's "Now the labourer's task is o'er ; " to Mrs. Blackie for Prof. Blackie's hymn, " Angels holy, high and lowly ; " to the Right Rev. Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Bickersteth, for his hymn, " Peace, perfect peace ; " to the Rev. Father Neville for permission to use Cardinal Newman's hymn, "Lead, kindly Light ; " to Dr. Matheson for his hymn, " O Love that will not let me go ; " to Canon Twells for " At Even, ere the Sun was set ; " to Messrs. James Nisbet and Co. for kindly consenting to the use of sev- eral of the late Dr. Bonar's hymns, as well as a hymn by Miss Havergal; to Mr. Wm. Isbister for the late Dr. Macleod's hymn, " Courage, Brother, do not stumble ; " to Mrs. Linnaeus Banks, for a poem by her late hus- band ; to Messrs. Morgan and Scott for seven hymns from "Sacred Songs and Solos;" to Messrs. Burns and Dates for certain of the Latin translations given in the earlier part of this collection ; and finally to Mr. Herbert Booth, for his hymn, " Blessed Lord, in Thee is Refuge." I hope I may be pardoned if, in spite of all efforts to discover the owners of copyright, I have unwittingly infringed any copyright, or failed to acknowledge my indebtedness for the use of these hymns. Hymns that Have Helped L — Praise. I— THE TE DEUM. The Te Deum properly stands first in any collection of Hymns that Helped. For it is the most catholic of hymns, one of the oldest and one of the most univer- sally used by the entire Western Church. What God Save the Queen has been for a century or more to modern England, the Te Deum has been to Christen- dom, divided and undivided, for more than a thousand years. It was chanted at the baptism of Clovis, and it was sung at the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It was in regular use as a Sunday morning hymn in the begin- ning of the sixth century, and it was chanted the other day at the coronation of Nicholas II. at Moscow. No other hymn of praise has been by such universal con- sent set apart as the supreme expression of the over- flowing gratitude of the human heart. According to the precise ritual of the Roman Church, it must be sung at the three supreme acts of solemn worship, — the Consecration of a Bishop, the Coronation of a King, and the Consecration of a Virgin. To these have been added others, — the Election of a Pope, the Canonization of a Saint, the publication of a Treaty of Peace, or the conclusion of a Treaty of Alliance in favour of the Church. It has from of old figured in our coronation service, and whenever the national heart is stirred by some great deliverance by hard-won vic- tory on sea or land, or by the recovery of some beloved 24 HYMNS THAT HAVB: HELPED. sovereign, or any other event which causes the common universal heart to throb, there and then is the Te Deum sung. After the fifth Harry had won the battle of Agincourt, he cried : — " Do we all holy rites, Let there be sung Non Nobis, and Te Deum." As it was sung after Agincourt, so it was sung aftet Waterloo, and will be sung after other victories yet unfought by generations yet unborn. Whenever the hearts of the men and women of the West throb high with emotions of gratitude too deep for non-rhythmic words, it is to the Te Deum that they turn for help ; there alone have they for generation after generation found adequate expression. Of versions of the Te Deum there are as many as there are languages spoken by man. In this collection, which is popular and not critical, I follow, for the Latin, the text in the Roman Catholic Service Book, and, for the English, the version of the Book of Common Prayer. WE praise Thee, O God: v?e acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship Thee, the Father everlasting. To Thee all angels cry aloud : the heavens and all the powers therein. To Thee Cherub in and Seraphin continually do cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth ; Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory. The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee. The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee. The noble army of Martyrs praise Thee. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 2$ The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee ; The Father of an Infinite Majesty; Thine honourable, true, and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ. Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man, Thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death. Thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glorj- of the Father. We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood. Make them to be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting. O Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine heritage. Govern them, and lift them up for ever. Day by day we magnify Thee ; And we worship Thy name ever world without end. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. O Lord, let Thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in Thee. O Lord, in Thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded. 26 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. TE Deum laudamus : te Dominum confitemur. Te aeternum Patrem : omnis terra veneratur. Tibi omnes Angeli: tibi coeli, et universae potes- tates. Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim; jncessabili voce proclamant, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus: Dominus Deus Sab- aoth ; Pleni sunt coeli et terra : majestatis glorice tuas. Te gloriosus : Apostolorum chorus. Te Prophetarum : laudabilis numerus. Te Martyrum candidatus : laudat exercitus. Te per orbem terrarum : sancta confitetur Eccle- sia; Patrem: immensae majestatis; Venerandum tuum verum : et unicum Filium. Sanctum quoque : ParacHtum Spiritum. Tu Rex gloriae : Christe. Tu Patris : sempiternus es Filius. Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem: non horruisti Virginis uterum. Tu devicto mortis aculeo : aperuisti credentibus regna ccelorum. Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes: in gloria Patris. Judex crederis : esse venturus. Te ergo quassumus, tuis famulis subveni : quos pretioso sanguine redemisti. .Sterna fac cum Sanctis tuis : in gloria numerari. Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine: et benedic hasreditati tuas. Et rege eos : et extoUe illos, usque in aeternum. Persingulos dies: benedicimus te. Et laudamus nomen tuum in sasculum: et in saeculum saeculi. Dignare, Domine, die isto: sine peccatis nos custodire. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 2/ Miserere nostri, Domine : miserere nostri. Fiat misericorclia tua, Domine, supernos : quem- admodum speravimus in te. In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeter- num. Very shortly before her decease, Mrs. Charles, the author of the " Schonberg-Cotta Family," " Songs, Old and New," and " The Voice of Christian Life and Song," wrote me, in reply to my inquiry as to which hymns had helped her, saying : " The Te Deum, with its glorious objectiveness, its tender humility, and its note of hope, has, perhaps, helped me and inspired me through life more than any other hymn." As some Nonconformists may possibly object to the inclusion of such pieces as the Te Deum and the Mag- nificat in a collection of hymns, I may quote a line from the Rev. Hugh Price Hughes' letter to me, in which he says : " I hope that in any book you publish you will include the Te Deum, in many respects the most majestic as well as the most venerable hymn of the Christian Church." There is, of course, another side to this. If the Te Deum has been used to express the gratitude of man for crowning mercies, it has often been used as a kind of Christian war-whoop over fallen foes. If our fore- fathers sang it with full hearts when England was de- livered from the fell menace of the Armada, it was also chanted at Rome in honour of the massacre of St. Bar- tholomew. If, as an ancient heathen poet declared, — " Unholy is the sound Of loud thanksgiving over slaughtered men," impious indeed must have been the exultant strains that have gone up on high over the hecatombs of the battlefield. But this prostitution of the great Christian hymn in the service of un-Christian statecraft and scep- tred murder has probably never been better exposed than by Kinglake in his memorable description of the 28 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Te Deum in Notre Dame, " that historic pile which stands mocking the lapse of ages and the strange check- ered destiny of France." Napoleon, fresh from the massacre of the Boulevards, his lips reeking with per- jury, and his hands all red with blood, came " into the presence of God." " When the Church perceived that the swearer of the oath and all his associates were ready, she began her service. Having robes whereon all down the back there was embroidered the figure of a cross, and being, it would seem, without fear, the bishops and priests went up to the high altar and scattered rich incense, and knelt and rose, and knelt and rose again. Then, in the hearing of thousands, there pealed through the aisles that hymn of praise which purports to waft into heaven the thanksgivings of a whole people for some new and signal mercy vouchsafed to them by Almighty God. It was because of what had been done to France within the last thirty days that the hosannas arose in Notre Dame. Moreover, the priests lifted their voices and cried aloud, chanting and saying to the Most High, ' Domine, salvum fac Ludovicum Napoleonem,' — O Lord ! save Louis Napoleon. " What is good, and what is evil ? and who is it that deserves the prayers of a nation ? If any man, being scrupulous and devout, was moved by the events of December to ask these questions of his Church, he was answered that day in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Paris." 1 2 -THE ENGLISH TE DEUM. If the Te Deum be the Hymn of Praise set apart by the Universal Church as the supreme expression of gratitude and adoration, the hymn which serves the same purpose in English congregations is " All Hail the Power of Jesu's Name." It is one of the ten hymns most used in English-speaking lands. It was written 1 History of Crimean War, vol. i. p. 335. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 29 near the close of last century by E. Perronet, a min- ister of Lady Huntingdon's Connection, but was subse- quently much revised by Dr. Rippon and others. The form most commonly used is as follows : — LL hail the power of Jesu's name ! Let angels prostrate fall ; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all. A" Let high-born seraphs tune the lyre, And, as they tune it, fall Before His face who tunes their choir, And crown Him Lord of all. Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God, Who from his altar call ; Extol the stem from Jesse's rod. And crown Him Lord of all. Ye seed of Israel's chosen race. Ye ransomed from the Fall, Hail Him who saves you by His grace, And crown Him Lord of all. Sinners ! whose love can ne'er forget The wormwood and the gall. Go, spread your trophies at His feet, And crown Him Lord of all. Let every kindred, every tribe, On this terrestrial ball, To Him all majesty ascribe, And crown Him'Lord of all. O that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall, Join in the everlasting song, And crown Him Lord of all! Tune — "Miles Lank. 30 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 3 — THE SCOTCH TE DEUM. The Scotch Church for nearly three hundred years refused to have anything to do with human hymns, papistical Te Deums, and the like. But in the metrical version of the Hundredth Psalm, the men of North Britain found a practical substitute which stood them in good stead as a vehicle for the expression of their usually repressed emotions. It was written by W. Kethe in 1560-61, to fit the tune in the Genevan Psalter now known as the Old Hundredth. It is one of the few Psalms to which Shakespeare makes reference in his plays. ALL people that on earth do dvi^ell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice : Him serve v/ith mirth, His praise forth tell; Come ye before Him and rejoice. Know ye, the Lord is God indeed ; Without our aid He did us make; We are His flock, He doth us feed; And for His sheep He doth us take. Oh enter then His gates with praise, Approach with joy His courts unto ; Praise, laud, and bless His name always, For it is seemly so to do. For why ? the Lord our God is good, His mercy is for ever sure ; His truth at all times firmly stood, And shall from age to age endure. Tune— "Old Hundredth." Longfellow refers to the New England settlers " Singing the Hundredth Psalm, that grand old Puritan anthem." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 3 1 The Rev. James Campbell, of Dublin, says : " The magnificent version of the Hundredth, set to Luther's majestic tune, has wedded Lutherans and Calvinists to eternity, and girdled the earth with sweet and stately praise." 4 -THE GERMAN TE DEUM. Rinkart's hymn, "Nun Danket alle Gott," comes second only to Luther's " Ein' feste Burg." The latter is a hymn of combat and of resolution to battle to the end, the former an outburst of gratitude. It is a para- phrase of two verses of Ecclesiasticus, and in verse 3 of one verse of the Gloria Patri. It has been used since 1648 as the German Te Deum at all national fes- tivals of war and of peace. It was sung by the army of Frederick the Great after the Prussians had won the Battle of Leuthen, and it was constantly sung in the last Franco-Prussian War. It was also sung at the cere- mony that marked the completion of Cologne Cathe- dral and at the laying of the foundation-stone of the new Reichstag. Mendelssohn introduces " Nun Danket " into his "Hymn of Praise." The following translation is by Catherine Winkworth : — NOW thank we all our God, With heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, In Whom His world rejoices; Who from our mothers' arms Hath blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, And still is ours to-day. O may this bounteous God Through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts And blessed peace to cheer us; 32 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. And keep us in his grace, And guide us when perplex'd, And free us from all ills In this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given, The Son, and Him who reigns With them in highest Heaven, The One eternal God, Whom earth and Heav'n adore, For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore. Amen. Tune — " Wittemburg," sometimes called "Nun Danket." 5— THE DOXOLOGY. Probably no other verse is so often sung by Chris- tians of all denominations as this brief outburst of praise and gratitude ; and yet the glad devotion ex- pressed in any of the numerous adaptations never fails to kindle an audience. Originally written as the clos- ing stanzas of " Awake my soul, and with the sun," the author, Bishop Ken (1637-1711), derived so much benefit from the use of it in his morning devotions that he added it to his now equally famous evening hymn, " Glory to Thee, my God, this night." It was the habit of this saintly sufferer to accompany his ever cheerful voice with the lute which penetrated beyond his prison walls ; and the oft-repeated song of praise, which was soon taken up by his religious sympathisers listening without, has gone on singing itself into the hearts of Christians until the fragment has very nearly ap- proached the hymn universal. During revivals it is sometimes the custom to sing it after every conversion. Once at Sheffield, England, under Billy Dawson, they sang it thirty-five times in Courtesy of "The Cosmopolil BISHOP THOMAS KEN Author of " The Doxology " Bom at Little Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire, England, July, 1637 Died at Longleat, Wiltshire, March ig, 171 1 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 33 one evening. It is frequently the last articulate sound that is heard from the lips of the dying, and it is not less frequently the expression of intense gratitude of the living in the moments when life throbs and swells most exultantly in the breast. PRAISE God from Whom all blessings flow ! Praise Him, all creatures here below! Praise Him above, ye heavenly host ! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! 6— HEBER'S TRINITY-SUNDAY HYMN. The Head Master of Harrow, after mentioning the three hymns which had helped him most, said : " I put them in what may be called an order of merit as follows: — I. 'Hark, my soul, it is the Lord.' 2. 'O God, our help in ages past.' 3. ' Rock of Ages, cleft for me.' Perhaps you will let me add that Bishop Heber's Trinity-Sunday Hymn, ' Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty,' though it cannot be said to have given me most help, yet is in my judgment the finest hymn ever written, considering the abstract difficult nature of its theme, its perfect spirituaUty, and the devotion and purity of its language. The late Poet Laureate once told me he thought so too." HOLY, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty ! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty ! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity ! Holy, holy, holy ! all the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea, Cherubim and Seraphim falling down before Thee, Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be. 3 34 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Holy, holy, holy ! though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see, Only Thou art holy, there is none beside Thee, Perfect in power, in love, and purity. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty ! All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty ! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity. Tune — " Nic^ea." 7— MILTON'S PSALM OF PRAISE (I7tli Century). Milton, our greatest poet save one, wrote only one hymn that has been found to help men — as a hymn. It is a paraphrase of Psahii cxxxvi. written when he was a boy of fifteen at St. Paul's School, and its length — twenty-four stanzas — precludes its general use. Those verses found most helpful by general usage are the following : — LET us, with a gladsome mind. Praise the Lord, for He is kind: For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. Let us sound His name abroad, For of gods He is the God : For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. He, with all commanding might, Filled the new-made world with light: For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. Born at London, December 9, 1608 Died there, November 8, 1674 Let US, then, with gladsome mind, Praise the Lord, for He is kind." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 35 He the golden-tressed sun Caused all day his course to run : For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. All things living He doth feed : His full hand supplies their need: For His mercies aye endure. Ever faithful, ever sure. He His chosen race did bless, In the wasteful wilderness : For His mercies aye endure. Ever faithful, ever sure. He hath, with a piteous eye, Looked upon our misery : For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure. Let us, then, with gladsome mind, Praise the Lord, for He is kind: For His mercies aye endure. Ever faithful, ever sure. Tune— "Innocents." 8 — ADDISON'S ** GRATITUDE '^ ( J8th Century). "I PERCEIVE," said Mr. Andrew Lang recently, "that either the best English poets have not written hymns, or that their hymns are unpopular with readers of the Sunday at Honie" Yet ]\Iilton was represented, and Cowper and Keble and Newman. Addison can hardly claim to be one of the best English poets, although he is one of the most famous essayists ; but his contribu- tions to Hymns that have Helped are by no means im- important. Of these one of the most generally used is 36 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. his poem originally published in the Spectator at the close of an essay on gratitude.^ WHEN all Thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view, I 'm lost In wonder, love, and praise. Oh how shall words with equal warmth The gratitude declare, That glows within my thankful heart? But Thou canst read it there. Thy providence my life sustained, And all my wants redressed, When in the silent womb I lay, And hung upon the breast. Unnumbered comforts on my soul Thy tender care bestowed, Before my infant heart conceived From whom those comforts flowed. When in the slippery paths of youth With heedless steps I ran. Thine arm, unseen, conveyed me safe, And led me up to man. 1 On the appearance of the first edition of this work a cor- respondent wrote calling my attention to the fact that in the Athenaum of July lo, 1880, and in the Phonetic Journal of March 12, 1887, it was conclusively proved that the author of this hymn was not Addison, but one Richard Richmond, rector of Walton on-the-Hill, Lancashire, 1690-1720. On the other hand, Mr. T. M. Healy, M. P., wrote saying that the late Sir Isaac Pitman, in an interesting inquiry as to the authorship of this hymn and the other attributed to Addison on page 232. claimed both as the work of Andrew Marvel, the "incorrup- tible Commoner." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELrED. 37 When worn with sickness, oft hast Thou With health renewed my face ; And, when in sins and sorrows sunk, Revived my soul with grace. Ten thousand thousand precious gifts IVIy daily thanks employ; Nor is the least a cheerful heart, That tastes those gifts with joy. Through every period of my life Thy goodness I '11 pursue , And, after death, in distant worlds, The glorious theme renew. Through all eternity to Thee A joyful song I '11 raise : But Oh ! eternity 's too short To utter all Thy praise. Tune — "St. Peter's." 9 — PROFESSOR BLACKIE'S CHANT OF PRAISE (I9th Century). The late Professor Blackie wrote much that is forgot- ten, but his Chant of Praise will live. It was sent me by one who had felt the glory and inspiration of its nature-worship cheer him like a sea-breeze. It is the nineteenth-century version of the sentiment which Milton expressed in the seventeenth and Addison in the eighteenth, each in the mode of his day and gener- ation. ANGELS holy, High and lowly, Sing the praises of the Lord ! Earth and sky, all living nature, Man, the stamp of thy Creator, Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord ! 38 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Sun and moon bright, Night and moonlight, Starry temples azure-floored ; Cloud and rain, and wild winds' madness, Sons of God that shout for gladness, Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord ! Ocean hoary, Tell His glory, Cliffs, where tumbling seas have roared ! Pulse of waters, blithely beating, Wave advancing, wave retreating, Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord ! Rock and high land, Wood and island, Crag, where eagle's pride hath soared; Mighty mountains, purple-breasted, Peaks cloud-cleaving, snowy-crested, Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord! Rolling river. Praise Him ever, From the mountain's deep vein poured ; Silver fountain, clearly gushing. Troubled torrent, madly rushing. Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord ! Bond and free man, Land and seaman. Earth, with peoples widely stored, Wanderer lone o'er prairies ample, Full-voiced choir, in costly temple, Praise ye, praise ye, God the Lord ! Praise Him ever. Bounteous Giver ; Praise Him, Father, Friend, and Lord I HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 39 Each glad soul its free course winging, Each glad voice its free song singing, Praise the great and mighty Lord 1 The Rev. Richard A. Armstrong, of Liverpool, says: " To my mind this is one of the noblest bits of nature- painting in literature. I always give it out to my people after holiday-making in Norway or Scotland, and the Mighty mountains, purple-breasted, Peaks cloud-cleaving, snowy-crested, rise up in vision before us again in glory. It is pagan- ism, perhaps, but it is paganism through which thrills the presence of the God of Christ." This poem of Blackie is at least not open to the objection taken by Charles Kingsley to many hymns. Kingsley says : " How often is the tone in which hymns speak of the natural world one of dissatisfaction, dis- trust, almost contempt. ' Change and decay in all around I see,' is their keynote rather than ' O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, praise Him, and magnify Him for ever.'" An anonymous writer, in whose sentiments Kingsley would have rejoiced, wrote a poem entitled " The Voice of Health," in illustration of the words, "The living he shall praise Thee." There are six stanzas, one of which will suffice to give the keynote : — 'Tis when youth's fervour fills the veins, And new-born hopes rejoice the heart, And health within and round us reigns, We best believe Thee as Thou art. n. — National Hymns. JO— GOD SAVE THE QUEEN. GOD save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen; God save the Queen ! 40 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the Queen! O Lord our God, arise, Scatter her enemies, And make them fall. Confound their politics ! Frustrate their knavish tricks; On her our hopes we fix ! God save us all ! Thy choicest gifts in store, On her be pleased to pour; Long may she reign ! May she defend our laws, And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice, God save the Queen ! Tune — " The National Anthem." It is one of the ironies of histoiy that the first trace that can be discovered of the singing of the English National Anthem, imploring Divine help for the reign- ing monarch, was an occasion when its petition was most conspicuously refused. In i6SS, when William of Orange was busy with his preparations in aid of the conspiracy against the Stuart dynasty, a Latin chorus was sung in the private chapel of James II., which ap- pears to have been the original of the famous anthem. We can well imagine the fervour with which James II. and his devout satellites joined in the petition thus voiced by the choir: — O Deus Optima ! Exurgat Dominus ; Salvum nunc facito Rebelles dissipet, Regem nostrum ; Et reprimat ; Sit laeta victoria Dolos confundito; Comes et gloria, Fraudes depellito ; Salvum jam facito In te sit sita spes Tu Dominum. O ! salva nos. JAMES II. Born at St. James Palace, October 14, 1633 Died at St. Germain, September 6, 1701 " God save our gracious King, Long live our noble King; God save the King ! " HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 4 1 Salvation, however, was not vouchsafed the Stuart dy- nasty. Before the year was out, it was King James who was sent packing, and William of Orange reigned in his stead. Then, as if to keep up the irony, the song disappeared altogether until the Pretender in 1745 at- tempted by the aid of his faithful Scots to regain the crown his ancestor had lost. Then the self-same musi- cal prayer, first used, all unavailing, on behalf of James II., was revived in order to serve as the Battle Hymn of the usurper who sat on his throne. Twelve days after the proclamation of the Pretender in September, 1745, at Edinburgh, " God Save the King " was sung with tumultuous enthusiasm at Drury Lane, and from that hour to this it has held the first place among the na- tional anthems of the world. Twenty-one years later it was adopted as a national air in Denmark. In 1793, as Heil Dir im Siegerkrantz, it became the national anthem of Prussia. About the middle of the present century the air Mas fitted by C. T. Brooks to the American National Anthem, "America," beginning : — God bless our native land ! Firm may she ever stand, Through storm and might. " God Save the Queen " is hackneyed by too much use, especially by its abuse as the signal for the close of a performance, which is almost as great a profanation as if one should use the Royal Standard as a handker- chief. But no abuse of this kind can impair its magic power when in times of national peril it bursts from the full heart. The singing of the ^rational Anthem, and the way in which it was sung in January, 1896, when England, left in "splendid " but dangerous " isolation," was preparing for war againsj envious rivals in Europe and America, did more than anything else to impress the foreign observer with the intensity and depth of the national emotion. It was magnificent, almost awful, to hear the swelling notes as they rose from great congre- 42 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. gations. It was a kind of semi-articulate expression oi the deeper feelings usually unexpressed by John Bull. Only when the menace of war rouses the nation is there sufficient force to strike these sonorous chords of patri- otic passion. For more than a hundred years, when- ever the English people have been really stirred by imminence of national danger, or by exultation over national triumph, the most satisfying expression for their inmost aspirations has been found in the simple but vigorous verses. This is the only war-song of the modern Englishman. For him it has superseded all others, ancient or modern. " Rule Britannia " is not to be compared with it for universality of use, or for satis- fying completeness of music and verse. And no part of this Battle Hymn of the British Monarchy is more genuine and hearty than the stanza which offends many pious critics on account of the fidelity with which it re- produces the spirit of the imprecatory Psalms. It would be idle to attempt to enumerate the occa- sions when this anthem has been used to body forth in audible form the sentiments that throb in the heart of the nation. Whenever any number of Englishmen find themselves fronting death, or whenever they have experienced any great deliverance, whenever they thrill with exultant pride, or nerve themselves to offer an unyielding front to adverse fate, they have used " God Save the Queen " or King, as it has been and will be again, as the natural national musical vehicle for ex- pressing what would otherwise find no utterance. It is the melody that is always heard when our island story touches the sublimer heights or sounds the profounder depths. It is one of the living links which bind into one the past, the present and future of the English race. There is one quite recent incident that may be men- tioned. When Major Wilson with his thirty-three troopers were attacked in Matabeleland in 1894 by a force of three thousand natives, who surrounded them in the forest, they fought from early morning till well on into the afternoon. All their horses were shot early in HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 43 the day, and behind their dead bodies the troopers kept up a desperate fight for three hours. Not one attempted to escape. These "men of men," as the Matabele called them, fought on till their ammunition gave out, and there was not one man left to stand or fire. When nearly all were wounded or killed, the Induna says, they (Wilson's party) left off firing, and all that could stood up, took off their hats, and sang something, the kind of song that he (the Induna) had heard mis- sionaries sing to the natives. Knowing Wilson as we do, says a friend of his, we are sure it was " God Save the Queen." They then fired again, until only one man was left, and almost all the ammunition gone. The Matabele had such a dread of them, that even then they did not rush in and assegai them until the last man had fallen, and were so impressed with their pluck that they did not mutilate them in any way, only stripped them. The Induna estimated that the Matabele lost eight to every one of the thirty-four white men killed, and said that Lobengula's warriors lay round the dead white men like grass. After many days Mr. Dawson found thirty- three skulls lying within a circle of fifteen yards, and one skull lying thirty yards outside.. He buried them under a wooden cross, inscribed, " To Brave Men." Mr. Rhodes afterwards had their remains interred in the prehistoric temple of Zimbabye, which is to be the Westminster Abbey of South Africa. It was of this incident that Mary Georges wrote — They sang — the white men sang — Sang in the face of death, And the forest echoes rang With their triumphant breath. On our spirit falleth a mighty dread ; We feared them most when we left them dead I n-GOD BLESS OUR NATIVE LAND. For those who object on religious grounds to pray for the destruction of their enemies, also for those who prefer to pray for themselves rather than for their So'V 44 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. ereign, the following variant has been prepared, and is used in ordinary times. But when the shrill clarion sounds the 'larum of war, the original version holds the field: — C"^OD bless our native land ! J May heaven's protecting hand Still guard our shore ; May Peace her power extend, Foe be transformed to friend, And Britain's rights depend On war no more. May just and righteous laws Uphold the public cause' And bless our isle. Home of the brave and free. The land of liberty, We pray that still on thee Kind heaven may smile. And not this land alone. But be Thy mercies known From shore to shore. Lord, make the nations see That men should brothers be, And form one family, The wide world o'er. Tune — "The National Anthem." J2-GOD SAVE THE PEOPLE. This democratic anthem of the masses is much in vogue in Labour churches, Pleasant Sunday Afternoon meetings, and Congregational churches of the more advanced type. The tune to which it is set, aptly fitted to the words, has a great hold upon those who sing it. The hymn was the handiwork of Ebenezer EBENEZER ELLIOTT Bom at Masborough, Yorkshire, England, March 17, Died near Barnsley, England, December i, 1849 " God save the people, Thine they are, Thy children, as Thine angels fair." 1781 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 45 Elliott, the Sheffield Corn Law Rhymer, a sturdy, un- compromising Democrat, with a heart embittered against the landed classes, whose chief aim in making laws in those days seemed to him to be keeping up the price of bread, regardless of the needs of the hungry poor. But the whirligig of time brings about strange revenges, and the Sheffield which in the rough, rude rhymes of Ebenezer Elliott doomed the Protectionist to perdition now returns Col. Howard Vincent to Par- liament to champion Protection masked as Fair Trade. WHEN wilt Thou save the people ? O God of mercy, when ? Not kings alone, but nations ? Not thrones and crowns, but men.? Flowers of Thy heart, O God, are they : Let them not pass, like weeds, away — Their heritage a sunless day. God save the people ! Shall crime bring crime for ever, Strength aiding still the strong? Is it Thy will, O Father, That man shall toil for wrong ? " No," say Thy mountains ; " No," Thy skies; Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise, And songs ascend instead of sighs : God save the people ! When wilt Thou save the people ? O God of mercy, when ? The people, Lord, the people, Not thrones and crowns, but men? God save the people. Thine they are, Thy children, as Thine angels fair; From vice, oppression, and despair, God save the people ! Tune — " Commonwealth." 46 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. It is the nearest approach to an English Marseillaise that a sense of social injustice has wrung from the heart of the oppressed. The Rev. Charles Garrett, of Liverpool, writes: " This hymn rings in my mind like the cry of a nation on its knees." A Scottish journalist, writing from South Wales, says : " So far as my experience goes, this hymn can rouse great popular audiences as nothing else can. It seems to go right down to the hearts of the people, and it can be sung very effectively." J3 —AMERICA. In days of peace and prosperity, through the crisis of the Civil War, and on most public occasions since the war, this hymn has gradually won recognition as a national one without the ceremonial of adoption in any historic scene. The author of the words, the Rev. Samuel Francis Smith, D. D., says of their origin : " The song was written at Andover during my student life there, I think in the winter of 1831-32. It was first used publicly at a Sunday-school celebration of July 4, in the Park Street Church, Boston." It was, indeed, an attempt to give " God Save the King " the ring of American republican patriotism. Public-school teachers throughout the United States find it most helpful in awakening a love for and a pride in the new country among the heterogeneous mass of child im- migrants that must be welded into patriotic American citizens. The well-known missionary hymn, "The Morning Light is breaking," was also written at Andover at about the same date. To the author, his class-mate Oliver Wendell Holmes refers in the lines: — " And there 's a nice fellow of excellent pith, Fate tried to conceal him by naming him Smith." MY country ! 'tis of thee, Sweet land of Liberty, Of thee I sing; I-^^^^ REV. SAMUEL FRANCIS SMITH, I'.nm at Boston, October 21, :So8 Died, November 16, 1895 " I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 47 Land where my fathers died ; Land of the Pilgrims' pride; From ev'ry mountain side, Let freedom ring. My native country ! thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love ; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills, ]\Iy heart with rapture thrills Like that above. Let music swell the breeze. And ring among the trees Sweet freedom's song : Let mortal tongues awake. Let all that breathe partake, Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. Our fathers' God 1 to Thee, Author of Liberty ! To Thee we sing ; Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light, Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King ! J4— THE MARSEILLAISE. On the 5th July, 1792, when Revolutionary France was menaced with destruction by internal treason and ex- ternal war, — the latter taking tangible shape in the person of the Duke of Brunswick and 80,000 Prussians, Hessians, and the royalist emigres, — the Marseilles municipality mustered 517 men of the rank and file, with captains of fifties and of tens, 600 in all, and bade 48 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. them " March, strike down the tyrant." Without an arrangement, or station, or ration, these black-browed Marseillese " who knew how to die " made their way for 600 miles across France to Paris. " The thought which works voiceless in this black-browed mass, an in- spired Tyrtsean Colonel, Rouget de Lille, has translated into grim melody and rhythm, in his Hymn or March of the Marseillese, luckiest musical composition ever promulgated, the sound of which will make the blood tingle in men's veins, and whole armies and assemblages will sing it, with eyes weeping and burning, with hearts defiant of Death, Despot, and Devil." For which in- deed France had not long to wait, for on Nov. 6, 1792, when Dumouriez smote the Austrians at Je- mappes, it was recognised that in the Marseilles a new power had descended from above upon the French armies, and that henceforth and for many years to come they were invincible. Carlyle writes thus of that memo- rable day. Dumouriez, overrunning the Netherlands, came upon the Austrians at Jemappes, near Mons : — " And fire-hail is whistling far and wide there, the great guns playing and the small ; so many green heights getting fringed and maned with red fire. And Dumouriez is swept back on this wing, and swept back on that, and is like to be swept back utterly ; when he rushes up in person, the prompt Polymetis, speaks a prompt word or two, and then, with clear tenor-pipe, ' uplifts the Hymn of the Marseillaise.' entonna la Mar- seillaise, ten thousand tenor or bass pipes joining; or say, some forty thousand in all, for every heart leaps at the sound ; and so, with rhythmic march-melody, wax- ing ever quicker to double and to treble quick, they rally, they advance, they rush, death-defying, man-de- vouring ; carry batteries, redoutes, whatsoever is to be carried ; and like the fire-whirlwind, sweep all manner of Austrians from the scene of action. Thus, through the hands of Dumouriez, may Rouget de Lille, in figur- ative speech, be said to have gained miraculously, like another Orpheus, by his Marseillese fiddle-strings [fidi- HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 49 oits canon's), a victory of Jemappes, and conquered the Low Countries." From that moment the Marseillaise became the Na- tional Anthem of France. All through the Napoleonic wars her armies marched to the music of Rouget de Lille, which made the tour of Europe with the eagles of France. Aftenvards it became a proscribed hymn, and was, in consequence, all the more cherished. Whenever revolution burst out, her first note was ever sounded by the Marseillaise. During the Second Empire it was proscribed until the march on Berlin, which was to end at Sedan, when the Emperor permitted the nation he had betrayed once again to hear the stirring strains in which, for nearly a hundred years, its patriotic passion had vibrated through Europe. Not even the Marseil- laise could avert Sedan, but it was to the music of the Marseillaise that the Empire was overthrown, and it remains to this day — Russian alliance notwithstanding — the National Hymn of the French Republic. ALLONS, enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arriv^ ! Centre nous de la tyrannie L'fitendard sanglant est levd. (dts) Entendez-vous dans les cainpagnes Mugir ces fdroces soldats ? lis viennent jusque dans vos bras figorger vos fils, vos compagnes. Aux armes, citoyens, formez vos bataillons ! Marchons, marchons ! Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons. Que veut cette horde d'esclaves, De traitres, de rois conjures ? Pour qui ces ignobles entraves, Ces fers d^s longtemps prdpar^s ? (h's) Fran^ais, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage ! 4 50 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Quel transport il doit exciter ! C'est nous qu'on ose menacer De rendre k I'antique esclavage ! Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). Quoi, ces cohortes ^trang^res Feraient la loi dans nos foyers ! Quoi, des phalanges mercenaires Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis) Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaindes Nos fronts sous le joug se ploiraient ? De vils despotes deviendraient Les maitres de nos destinees ? Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). Tremblez, tyrans ! et vous, perfides, L'opprobre de tous les partis, Tremblez ! vos projets parricides Vont enfin recevoir leur prix. (bis) Tout est soldat pour vous combattre S'ils tombent, nos jeunes hdros, La terre en produit de nouveaux Centre vous tout prets k se battre. Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). Fran^ais, en guerriers magnanimes, Portez ou retenez vos coups ! fipargnez ces tristes victimes A regret s'armant contre nous, {bis) Mais les despotes sanguinaires, Mais les complices de Bouill^, Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitid, D^chirent le sein de leur m&re ! Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). Nous entrerons dans la carri^re, Quand nos ain^s n'y seront plus ; HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 5 1 Nous y trouverons leur poussi^re Et la trace de leurs vertus. (dis) Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre Que de partager leur cercueil, Nous aurons le sublime orgueil De les venger ou de les suivre. Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). Amour sacrd de la patrie, Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs. Libert^, libertd chdrie, Combats avec tes d^fenseurs. (it's) Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire Accoure k tes males accents ! Que tes ennemis expirants Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire ! Aux armes, citoyens (etc.). The Marseillaise is often sung in England, but seldom beyond the first verse, excepting in French. The Eng- lish free — very free — rendering, that is sometimes used, begins thus : — Ye sons of France, awake to glory ! Hark ! hark ! what myriads bid you risel Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary, — Behold their tears and hear their cries ! Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding, With hireling hosts, a ruffian band, Affright and desolate the land, While liberty and peace lie bleeding? To arms ! to arms ! ye brave ! The avenging sword unsheathe ! March on ! march on ! all hearts resolved On victory or death ! Outside France the Marseillaise is, however, almost exclusively monopolised by Socialist or other exponents 52 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. of popular discontent. In France, of course, it is the official anthem, which is played even in the presence of Tsars. But if ever there was a hymn that helped men, the Marseillaise is that hymn. It helped millions to conquer and to die ; and so, although it can hardly be regarded as an ordinary hymn, it is such an extraordi- nary one as to well deserve a place in this collection. 15 — LUTHER^S HYMN. A BATTLE hymn, indeed, is this famous hymn which Heinrich Heine rightly describes as " the Marseillaise Hymn of the Reformation." Luther composed it for the Diet of Spires, when, on April 20, 1 529, the German princes made their formal protest against the revoca- tion of their liberties, and so became known as Protest- ants. In the life-and-death struggle that followed, it was as a clarion summoning all faithful souls to do battle, without fear, against the insulting foe. Luther sang it to the lute every day. It was the spiritual and national tonic of Germany, administered in those dol- orous times as doctors administer quinine to sojourners in fever-haunted marshes. Every one sang it, old and young, children in the street, soldiers on the battlefield. The more heavily hit they were, the more tenaciously did they cherish the song that assured them of ulti- mate victory. When Melancthon and his friends, after Luther's death, were sent into banishment, they were marvellously cheered as they entered Weimar on hear- ing a girl sing Luther's hymn in the street. " Sing on, dear daughter mine," said Melancthon ; " thou knowest not what comfort thou bringest to our heart." Nearly a hundred years later, before the great victory which he gained over the Catholic forces at Leipsic, Gustavus Adolphus asked his warriors to sing Luther's hymn, and after the victory he thanked God that He had made good the promise, " The field He will maintain it." It was sung at the Battle of Liitzen. It was sung also many a time and oft during the Franco-German war. In fact, whenever the depths of the German heart are DETAIL OF THE LUTHER MONUMENT AT WORMS MARTIN LUTHER Born at Eisleben, Prussian Saxony, November lo, 14S3 Died there, February 18, 1546 " A sure stronghold our God is He, A trusty shield and weapon ; Our help He'll be, and set us free From every ill can happen." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 53 really stirred, the sonorous strains of Luther's hymn instinctively burst forth. M. Vicomte de Vogue, one of the most brilliant of contemporary writers, in his criti- cism of M. Zola's " Debacle," pays a splendid tribute to the element in the German character which finds its most articulate expression in Luther's noble psalm. M. de Vogue says that M. Zola, in his work, entirely fails to explain in what the superiority of the German army consisted. What was there in these men ? Why did they conquer France ? Only he who knows the answer, and dares to give it, will be able to write the book about the war. " He who is so well up in all the points of the battle- field of Sedan must surely know what was to be seen and heard there on the evening of Sept. i, 1870. It was a picture to tempt his pen, — those innumerable lines of fires starring all the valley of the Meuse, those grave and solemn chants sent out into the night by hundreds of thousands of voices. No orgy, no disorder, no relaxation of discipline ; the men mounting guard under arms till the inexorable task was done ; the hymns to the God of victory and the distant home, — they seemed like an army of priests coming from the sacrifice. This one picture, painted as the novelist knows how to paint in his best days, would have shown us what virtues, wanting in our own camp, had kept fortune in the service of the other." Of English versions there have been many. That of Thomas Carlyle is generally regarded as the best. A SURE stronghold our God is He. A trusty shield and weapon; Our help He '11 be, and set us free From every ill can happen. That old malicious foe Intends us deadly woe ; Armed with might from Hell, And deepest craft as well, On earth is not his fellow. 54 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Through our own force we nothing can, Straight were we lost for ever ; But for us fights the proper Man, By God sent to deliver. Ask ye who this may be ? Christ Jesus named is He. Of Sabaoth the Lord ; Sole God to be adored; 'Tis He must win the battle. And were the world with devils filled, All eager to devour us, Our souls to fear should little yield, They cannot overpower us. Their dreaded Prince no more Can harm us as of yore ; Look grim as e'er he may. Doomed is his ancient sway ; A word can overthrow him. God's word for all their craft and force One moment will not linger : But spite of Hell shall have its course 'Tis written by His finger. And though they take our life, Goods, honour, children, wife ; Yet is there profit small : These things shall vanish all; The city of God remaineth. The following is given in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology as the earliest High German Text now accessible to us. It is that of 1531 : — EIN' feste burg ist unser Gott, ein gute wehr und waffen. Er hilfft unns frey aus aller not HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 55 die uns ytzt hat betroffen, Der alt bose feind mit ernst ers ytzt meint, gros macht und viel list sein grausam riistung ist, auf erd ist nicht seins gleichen. Mit unser macht ist nichts gethan, wir sind gar bald verloren ; Es streit fur uns der rechte man, den Gott hat selbs erkoren. Fragstu, war der ist ? er heist Jhesu Christ der Herr Zebaoth, und ist kein ander Gott, das felt mus er behalten. Und wenn die welt vol Teuffell wehr und wolt uns gar vorschlingen So fiirchten wir uns nicht zu sehr as sol uns doch gehngen. Der Fiirst dieser welt, wie sawr er sich stellt. thut er unns doch nicht, das macht, er ist gericht, ein wortlin kan yhn fellen. Das wort sie sollen lassen stahn und kein danck dazu haben, Er ist bey unns wol auff dem plan mit seinem geist und gaben. Nemen sia den leib, gut, eher, kindt unnd weib las faren dahin, sie habens kein gewin, das reich mus uns doch bleiban. Tune — "Worms," also called " Ein' Feste Bu»«." 56 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. The Forty-sixth Psalm was always a great stand-by for fighting men. The Huguenots and Covenanters used to cheer their hearts in the extremity of adverse for- tunes by the solemn chant God is our refuge and our strength, In straits a present aid ; Therefore, although the earth remove, We will not be afraid. It will be noted that although Luther's Hymn is sug- gested by the Forty-sixth Psalm, it is really Luther's Psalm, not David's. Only the idea of the stronghold is taken from the Scripture, the rest is Luther's own, " made in Germany," indeed, and not only so, but one of the most potent influences that have contributed to the making of Germany. And who knows how soon again we may see the fulfilment of Heine's speculation, when Germans " may soon have to raise again these old words, flashing and pointed with iron".'' That M. de Vogue does not stray beyond his book there is ample evidence to prove. For instance, Cassell's History of the Franco-German war describes how, the day after the battle of Sedan, a multitude of German troops, who were on the march for Paris, found it impossible to sleep, wearied though they were. They were billeted in the Parish Church of Augecourt. The excitement of the day had been too great ; the memory of the bloody fight and their fallen comrades mingled strangely with pride of victory and the knowledge that they had res- cued their country from the foe. Suddenly in the twi- light and the stillness a strain of melody proceeded from the organ, — at first softly, very softly, and then with ever-increasing force, — the grand old hymn-tune, fa- miliar as " household words " to every German ear, " Nun danket alle Gott," swelled along the vaulted aisles. With one voice ofiicers and men joined in the holy strains ; and when the hymn was ended, the performer, a simple villager, came forward and deliv- ered a short, simple, heartfelt speech. Then, turning HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 57 again to the organ, he struck up Luther's old hymn, " Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott," and again all joined with heart and voice. The terrible strain on their sys- tem, which had tried their weary souls and had ban- ished slumber from their eyes, was now removed, and they laid themselves down with thankful hearts and sought and found the rest they so much needed. Frederick the Great on one occasion called Luther's Hymn " God Almighty's Grenadier March." J6-GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS'S BATTLE HYMN. Few figures stand out so visibly against the bloody mist of the religious wars of the seventeenth century as that of Gustavus Adolphus, the hero-king of Sweden, who triumphed at Leipsic and who fell dead on the morning of victory at Liitzen. The well-known hymn beginning " Verzage nicht, du Hauflein," which is known as Gus- tavus Adolphus's Battle Hymn, was composed by Pastor Altenburg, at Erfurt, on receiving the news of the great victory of Leipsic, which gave fresh heart and hope to the Protestants of Germany. It was sung on the morning of the Battle of Liitzen, under the following circumstances: When the morning of Nov. 16, 16^2, dawned, the Catholic and Protestant armies under Wallenstein and Gustavus Adolphus stood facing each other. Gustavus ordered all his chaplains to hold a service of prayer. He threw himself upon his knees and prayed fervently while the whole army burst out into a lofty song of praise and prayer, "Verzage nicht, du Hauflein klein." As they prayed and sang a mist descended, through which neither army could discern the foe. The King set his troops in battle-array, giving them as their watchword, " God with us." As he rode along the lines, he ordered the kettle-drums and trumpets to strike up Luther's hymns, " Ein' feste Burg " and " Es 58 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. wollt uns Gott genadig sein." As they played, the sol- diers joined in as with one voice. The mist began to lift, the sun shone bright, and Gustavus knelt again in prayer. Then rising, he cried : " Now we will set to, please God," and then louder he said, "Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, help me this day to fight for the honour of Thy name ! " Then he charged the enemy at full speed, defended only by a leathern gorget. " God is my har- ness," he repUed to his servant, who rushed to put on his armour. The battle was hot and bloody. At eleven in the forenoon the fatal bullet struck Gustavus, and he sank dying from his horse, crying, " My God, my God ! " The combat went on for hours afterwards, but when twilight fell Wallenstein's army broke and fled, and the dead king remained victor of the field on which with his life he had purchased the religious liberties of Northern Europe. FEAR not, O little flock, the foe, Who madly seeks your overthrow, Dread not his rage and power ; What, tho' your courage sometimes faints, His seeming triumph o'er God's saints Lasts but a little hour. Be of good cheer, — your cause belongs To Him who can avenge your wrongs, Leave it to Him, our Lord. Tho' hidden yet from all our eyes, He sees the Gideon who shall rise To save us, and his word. As true as God's own word is true. Nor earth, nor hell, with all their crew, Against us shall prevail, — A jest and byword are they grown ; ♦' God is with us^'' we are His own, Our victory cannot fail. From a print by 1 i il I' utiu^ ntcr i i GUSTAVUS II. ADOLFHUS Born at Stockholm, December 19, 1594 Died, November 16, 1632 God is with us,' we are His own, Our victory cannot fail."' HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. $9 Amen, Lord Jesus, grant our prayer ! Great Captain, now Thine arm make bare ; Fight for us once again ! So shall Thy saints and martyrs raise A mighty chorus to Thy praise, World without end. Amen. J7 — THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. MINE eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord ; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored ; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword ; His truth is marching on. I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps ; They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps ; I have read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps ; His Day is marching on. I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel — " As ye deal with My contemners, so with you My grace shall deal ; " Let the Hero born of woman crush the serpent with His heel, Since God is marching on. He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat ; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judg- ment-seat : 60 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Oh ! be swift, my soul, to answer Him ; be jubi- lant, my feet, — Our God is marching on. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me ; As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free. While God is marching on. Tune — "John Brown's Body." This splendid Battle Hymn of the Republic was written by Julia Ward Howe on the outbreak of the American war, i860. John Habberton, writing long after it was all over, says : — " The old air has a wonderful influence over me. _ I heard it in Western camp meetings and negro cabins when I was a boy. I saw the 22nd Massachusetts march down Broadway singing the same air during a rush to the front during the early days of the war ; I have heard it sung by warrior tongues in nearly every Southern State'; my old brigade sang it softly, but with a swing that was terrible in its earnestness, as they lay behind their stacks of arms just before going into ac- tion ; I have heard it played over the grave of many a dead comrade ; the semi-mutinous — th cavalry became peaceful and patriotic again as their bandmaster played the old air, after having asked permission to try his hand on them ; it is the tune that burst forth spontaneously in our barracks on that glorious morning when we learned that the war was over, and it was sung with words adapted to the occasion by some good rebel friends of mine on our first social meeting after the war." w HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 6 1 JS-CROMWELUS BATTLE PSALMS. The most famous of the Battle Songs of the Ironsides was the Sixty-eighth Psalm, which was sung before fight- ing, and the One Hundred and Seventeenth, which they sang after victory. They had no need for anything to sing after defeat, for they never were defeated. The Sixty-eighth was a famous warrior-psalm long before Cromwell's time. It was the favourite of Charle- magne. Savonarola chanted it as he trod the dolorous way to the stake. It was called by the Huguenots the Song of Battles, and was raised by them in many a des- perate fight. The most notable occasion on which it was sung by the Army of the Commonwealth was on the morning of the Battle of Dunbar. Terrible indeed, in the dim and misty morning, must have sounded the voices of the Ironsides singing as they stood ready waiting for the word to charge. This was probably the version that they used : — LET God arise, and scattered let all his en'mies be ; And let all those that do him hate before his presence flee. As smoke is driv'n, so drive thou them; as fire melts wax away, Before God's face let wicked men so perish and decaJ^ But let the righteous be glad : let them before God's sight Be very joyful : yea, let them rejoice with all their might. To God sing, to his name sing praise; extol him with your voice, That rides on heav'n, by his name before his face rejoice. 62 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. The One Hundred and Seventeenth Psalm was sung after the victory was won, and became known thereafter as the Dunbar Psalm. When " the Scotch army, shivered to utter ruin, rushes in tumultuous wreck," "the Lord General made a halt, and sung the one hundred and seven- teenth psalm, till our horse could gather for the chase." '• Hundred and seventeenth psalm," says Mr. Carlyle, ■' at the foot of the Doon Hill ; there we uplift it, to the tune of Bangor, or some still higher score, and roll it strong and great against the sky " : — OGIVE ye praise unto the Lord, all nations that be ; Likewise, ye people all, accord his name to magnify. For great to us-ward ever are his loving-kindnesses : His truth endures for evermore. The Lord O do ye bless. Doggerel, no doubt ; but who would exchange that rugged verse, sung from the hearts of the victors of Dunbar, while the smoke of their powder was still lying low over the dead, for the most mellifluous verse whose melody charmed the ear of the critic, but never stirred the mighty hearts of heroes .'' J9— GARffiALDPS HYMN. The Rev. H. R. Haweis, who probably is the best re- pository of Garibaldian reminiscences among English- speaking men, has been good enough to send me the following notes on the way in which this famous hymn helped the Italian struggle for national unity and inde- pendence. Mr. Haweis writes : — " Garibaldi's hymn, like so many other tunes and stanzas, was composed by a comparatively obscure per- OLIVER CROMWELL Born at Huntingdon, England, April 25, isqg Died at Whitehall, London, September 3, 1658 To God sing, to His name sing praise; Extol Him with your voice." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 63 son named Luigi Mercantini, and the music was com- posed by Alessio Olivieri, of Genoa. I well remember in i860 being told by an Italian how a friend of his had taken him into a back shop in Venice for fear of the Austrians, and played over to him the then unknown tune, showing him the words to which it was to be sung, and declaring that it would be likely to seize upon the popular heart and ear and become the clarion of patri- otic advance and victory. This turned out to be the case. Throughout the length and breadth of Italy — from '59 to '69, at all events — Garibaldi's hymn rang out in every cafe, on every organ, at every social or political gathering, and in every street throughout Italy. It is lively and buoyant. Why it is called a hymn it is difficult to say — it has a bounce and go about it which suggests the irrepressible recklessness, fearlessness, and audacious jollity of youth. It voiced young Italy's as- pirations. The revolution was indeed the work chiefly of boys with a few veterans at their backs. The 1000 of Marsala, the remnants of the Italian legion, formed in South America and the defenders of Rome in 1848 — these were the iron-handed, golden-souled veterans — and the Garibaldian armies were recruited from the boys of Italy. Garibaldi's hymn suited them down to the ground. It ranks with the Marseillaise as a revolu- tionary inspirer, but it has a light-hearted joyousness and a rollicking rush and devil-may-care slapdash about it that the gloomier Marseillaise cannot lay claim to. I shall never forget coming down one fresh autumn morning from the Camaldoli hills above Naples and meeting about one hundred Garibaldians in their red shirts and muskets shouldered marching joyously up hill — it was a few days after the battle of Volturno — four trumpeters walked in front, blowing Garibaldi's hymn to their hearts' content, whilst the young lithe guerilleros (I don't think there could have been one over twenty) seemed to step on air. I can recollect their bright sunny faces and eyes glowing with happy enthu- siasm even now — lack-a-day, 't is thirty -six years ago 1 " 64 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. SI scopron le tombe, si levano i morti, I martiri nostri son tutti risorti! Le spade nel pugno, gli allori alle chiome, La fiamma ed il nonie d'ltalia sul cor ! Veniamo ! Veniamo ! su, o giovani schiere I Su al vento per tutto le nostra bandiere ! Su tutti col ferro, su tutti col foco, Su tutti col foco d'ltalia nei cor. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora ch'h I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o stranier. La terra dei fiori, dei suoni e dei carmi Ritorni quai era la terra dell'armi ! Di cento catene ci avvinser la mano, Ma ancor di Legnano sa i ferri brandir. Bastone tedesco I'ltalia non doma, Non crescon al giogo le stirpi di Roma ; Piu Italia non vuole stranieri e tiranni, Gik troppi son gli anni che dura il servir. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora ch'^ I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o strauier. Le case d'ltalia son fatte per noi, £ Ik sul Danubio la casa de' tuoi ; Tu i camoi ci guasti, tu il pane c'invoH, I nostri figliuoli per noi li vogliam. Son I'Alpi e i due mari d'ltalia i confini, Col carro di foco rompiam gli Apennini ; Distrutto ogni segno di vecchia frontiera, La nostra bandiera per tutto innalziam. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora cVb I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o stranier. Sien mute le lingue, sien pronte le braccia; Soltanto al nimico volgiamo la faccia, E tosto oltre i monti n'andrk lo straniero, Se tutta un pensiero I'ltalia sark. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 65 Non basta il trionfo di barbare spoglie, Si chiudan ai ladri d'ltalia le soglie ; Le genti d'ltalia son tutte una sola, Son tutte una sola le cento cittk. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora ch'^ I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o stranier. Se ancora dell'Alpi tentasser git spaldi, II grido d'alParmi dark Garibaldi ; E s'arma alio squillo, che vien da Caprera, Dei mille la schiera che I'Etna assalt6. E dietro alia rossa vanguardia dei bravi Si muovon d'ltalia le tende e le navi ; Gik ratto suH'orma del fido guerriero L'ardente destriero Vittorio spron6. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora ch'e I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o stranier. Per sempre h caduto degli empi I'orgoglio, A dir-viva Italia-va il Re in Campidoglio, La Senna e il Tamigi saluta ed onora L'antica signora che torna a regnar. Contenta del regno fra I'isole e i monti Soltanto ai tiranni minaccia le fronli ; Dovunque le genti percuota un tiranno Suoi figli usciranno per terra e per mar. Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora ch'^ I'ora, Va fuora d'ltalia, va fuora, o stranier. A friend has kindly sent me the following free trans- lation of the first stanza : — Uplifted the tombstones ! Our martyrs arisen ! Brave Italy's bravest Have leapt from Death's prison ! 5 66 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Fair bays on each forehead, Each hand with its steel, Hearts beating and burning For Italy's weal. Up ! up ! oh my brothers, And chase from our land The foeman, the alien, With sword and with brand ! Wave, wave your bright banners The while glad and high Throb hearts that so proudly For Italy die ! in. — Ancient Hymns. 20 -THE MAGNIFICAT. The song of the Virgin Mary on learning that she was to be the mother of the Messiah takes precedence of all other hymns of the Church. There is a curiously persistent note in it, of the exaltation of the humble, and the humiliation of the powerful, that must have sounded ill in the ears of the monarchs and nobles and champions of the constituted order. It is peculiarly fitting that this revolutionary paean of gratitude should be adopted by the Church from the lips of a woman, for, as any one may discover who cares to look facts in the face, or even to read such a text-book as Mill's " Subjection of Women," woman, after all these cen- turies, is still everywhere awaiting the fulfilment of the promise — " deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles." MY soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand- Prom the drawing by Henri Ilofmann "THE ANNUNCIATION" My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 6"] maiden : for, behold, from henceforth all genera- tions shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things ; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm ; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remem- brance of his mercy ; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. MAGNIFICAT : anima mea Dominum. Et exultavit spiritus meus : in Deo salutari meo. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est : et sanc- tum nomen ejus. Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies: timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : dispersit super- bos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede : et exaltavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel puerum suum : recordatus mis- ericordiae suae. Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros : Abraham, et semini ejus in szecula. Gloria Patri, etc. 68 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 21 -GLORIA IN EXGELSIS. After the Magnificat, this may properly be regarded as the earliest Christian hymn. It is built up as from a foundation upon the angels' song which the shepherds heard who were keeping their flocks by night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. But the an- them that sufficed for the angels at the Nativity was soon found inadequate for the Church that worshipped the Crucified. Hence the evolution of the Gloria, which by the end of the fifth century had been de- veloped into the hymn which, with variations in one clause, is used alike by Greek, Latin, and Protestant believers all over the world. The text is here given in Latin and English. The Greeks say instead of " O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ," " Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit." GLORY be to God on high, and in earth peace, good-will towards men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee. We give thanks to Thee, for Thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty, O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, That takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For Thou only art holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. APPARITION TO THE SUEVUERl}S'—r/M/:/iorsi " Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, good-will towards men." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 69 GLORIA in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax ho minibus bonas voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. [potens. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omni- Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe. Domine Deus. Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe. Cum sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen, This hymn is believed to have been the morning song of the Christians in primitive days, — the hymn sung by the martyrs as the day dawned on which they were to be butchered, to make a Roman holiday. For nearly nineteen centuries it spans the history of our race with a ray of melody and light. This hymn has helped indeed. 22 — NUNC DIMTTIS. Simeon's song of thankfulness on seeing the infant Christ has been frequently paraphrased, but the non- metrical version is most used and best known. LORD, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace : according to Thy word. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles : and the glory of Thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, etc. 70 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Ant. Salva nos. NUNC dimittis servum tuum, Domine : * secun- dum verbum tuum in pace. Quia viderunt oculi mei * salutare tuum. Quod parasti * ante faciem omnium populorum. Lumen ad revelationem gentium,* et gloriam plebis tuae Israel. Gloria Patri. Ant. Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes, custodi nos dormientes : ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requies- camus in pace. 23— THE CANDLE-LIGHT HYMN. The Evening Hymn, the Phos Hilaron, quoted by St. Basil in the fourth century, dates from the first or sec- ond century. As the Gloria was the Christian's salute to the rising sun, so the Phos Hilaron was sung at eventide when the time of the lighting of lamps had come. It is still used as the Vesper Hymn in the Greek churches. The following is Keble's translation : — HAIL, gladdening Light, of His pure glory pour'd Who is the Immortal Father, Heavenly, Blest, Holiest of Holies, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest, The lights of evening round us shine. We hymn the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Divine. Worthiest art Thou at all times to be sung With undelil^d tongue. Son of our God, Giver of life. Alone ! Therefore in all the world Thy glories. Lord, they own. Amen. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. ^\ 24— THE HYMN OF THE CATACOMBS. Those who have wandered through any part of the ten miles of the labyrinth known as the Catacombs of Calix- tus, which are said to contain the remains of a million Christian dead, will be familiar with the constant, almost infantile, persistence of the reference to Christ in inscrip- tions. Whether it is the dove, or the palm, or the fish, or the sacred monogram, it is always Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. They had fallen in love with Jesus of Nazareth, had these hunted Christians, and they carved his name everywhere, or his symbol, as the lovelorn Orlando chiselled Rosalind's name on the bark of the trees in the forest of Ardennes. From these early days, when for the first time the human heart felt the fresh gush of passionate love for the Divine, made Man in order to become the Heavenly Bridegroom of his Spouse of the Church, there has com.e down to us little in the shape of authentic song save that hymn which, versified as the hymn " Shepherd of Tender Youth," is still to be heard in our churches to- day. But how different the circumstances of the mod- ern congregation and those under which the little flock of the persecuted mustered in the black subterranean City of the Dead to enjoy the ecstasy of singing to Him whose love made the horrors of the torture-chamber and the shame of the Colosseum sweeter than all the honours and glories of the world. "Nowhere," says Zola, in his masterly picture of Rome, "had there been more intimate and touching life than in these buried cities of the unknown lowly dead, so gentle, so beautiful, and so chaste. And a mighty breath had formerly come from them, the breath of a new humanity destined to renew the world. With the advent of meekness, con- tempt of the flesh, relinquishment of terrestrial joys, and a passion for death, which delivers and opens the portals of Paradise, a new world had begun." And this ancient hymn, sole survivor of many such which 72 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. helped them to the hidden source of their strength, still, after all these centuries, exhales somewhat of the mystic fragrance which lingered around that mighty love by which they overcame the world. The following is the translation of Dean Plumptre : — CURB for the stubborn steed, Making its will give heed; Wing that directest right The vifild bird's wandering flight ; Helm for the ships that keep Their pathway o'er the deep ; Shepherd of sheep that own Their Master on the Throne, Stir up Thy children meek With guileless lips to speak, In hymn and song Thy praise, Guide of their infant ways. O King of saints, O Lord, Mighty, all-conquering Word ; Son of the highest God Wielding His wisdom's rod ; Our stay when cares annoy, Giver of endless joy ; Of all our mortal race Saviour of boundless grace, O Jesus, hear! Shepherd and Sower Thou, Now helm, and bridle now. Wing for the heavenward flight Of flock all pure and bright, Fisher of men, the blest, Out of the world's unrest, Out of Sin's troubled sea Taking us, Lord, to Thee; Out of the waves of strife, HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 73 With bait of blissful life, With choicest fish, good store, Drawing Thy nets to shore. Lead us, O Shepherd true, Thy mystic sheep, we sue, Lead us, O holy Lord, Who from Thy sons dost ward, With all-prevailing charm. Peril, and curse, and harm : O path where Christ has trod, O Way that leads to God, O Word, abiding aye, O endless light on high, Mercy's fresh-springing flood. Worker of all things good, O glorious life of all That on their Maker call, Christ Jesus, hear; O milk of Heaven, that prest From full o'erflowing breast Of her, the mystic Bride, Thy wisdom hath supplied ; Thine infant children seek. With baby lips, all weak. Filled with the Spirit's dew From that dear bosom true, Thy praises pure to sing. Hymns meet for Thee, our Kine, For Thee, the Christ; Our holy tribute this, For wisdom, life and bliss, Singing in chorus meet. Singing in concert sweet, The Almighty Son. We, heirs of peace unpriced, 74 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. We, who are born in Christ, A people pure from stain, Praise we our God again. Lord of our Peace ! 25-"ART THOU WEARY, ART THOU LANGUID?'^ The Monastery of Mar Saba, founded before the He- gira of Mohammed, still stands on its ancient rock looking down upon the valley of the Kedron. Forty monks still inhabit the cells which cluster round the grave of St. Sabas, the founder, who died in 532, and still far below in the depths of the gorge the wolves and the jackals muster at morning light to eat the offal and refuse which the monks fling down below. In this monastic fortress lived in the eighth century a monk named Stephen, who, before he died, was gifted from on high with the supreme talent of embodying in a simple hymn so much of the essence of the Divine life that came to the world through Christ Jesus that in this last decade of the nineteenth century no hymn more profoundly touches the heart and raises the spir- its of Christian worshippers. Dr. Neale paraphrased this song of Stephen the Sabaite, so that this strain, originally raised on the stern ramparts of an outpost of Eastern Christendom already threatened with sub- mersion beneath the flood of Moslem conquest, rings with ever increasing volume of melodious sound through the whole wide world to-day. RT thou weary, art thou languid, Art thou sore distrest? *' Come to Me," saith One, " and coming, Be at rest." A' Hath He marks to lead me to Him, If He be my guide ? " In His feet and hands are wound-prints. And His side." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 75 Is there diadem, as monarch, That His brow adorns? " Yes, a crown, in very surety, But of thorns ! " If I find Him, if I follow, What His guerdon here? " Many a sorrow, many a labour, Many a tear." If I still hold closely to Him, What hath He at last? " Sorrow vanquished, labour ended, Jordan past ! " If I ask Him to receive me, Will He say me nay ? " Not till earth, and not till heaven, Pass away ! " Finding, following, keeping, struggling. Is He sure to bless? "Angels, prophets, martyrs, virgins. Answer, Yes ! " Tune — " Stephanos." Mr. Duffield reminds us of a reference to a verse of this hymn which affords a bizarre but suggestive con- trast to the life in the austere and secluded monastery where it first was given to the world. Mr. Duffield says : — " Miss Sally Pratt McLean has used this hymn in her story of 'Cape Cod Folks' (p. 300). It is the duet which George Oliver and Benny Cradlebow sing to- gether as they are mending the boat just before Cradle- bow's heroic death. Captain Arkell tells of it thus : '"By and by, him and George Oliver struck up a song. I 've heem 'em sing it before, them two. As nigh as I calc'late, it's about finding rest in Jesus, l6 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. and one a askin' questions, all fa'r and squar', to know the way and whether it 's goin' to lead thai straight or not, and the other answerin'. And he was a tinkerin' 'way up on the foremast. George Oliver and the rest of us was astern, and I '11 hear to my dyin' day how his voice came a floatin' down to us thar, — chantin' like it was, — cl'ar and fearless and slow. So he asks, for findin' Jesus, ef thar's any marks to foller by; and George, he answers about them bleedin' nail-prints, and the great one in his side. So then that voice comes down agin, askin' if thar 's any crown, like other kings, to tell him by ; and George, he answers straight about that crown o' thorns. Then says that other voice, floatin' so strong and cl'ar, and if he gin up all and foUered, what should he have ? What how .' So George, he sings deep o' the trial and the sorrowin'. But that other voice never shook 'a askin', and what if he helt to him to the end, what then should it be — what then ? George Oliver answers : " Forevermore, the sorrowin' ended — Death gone over." Then he sings out, like his mind was all made up, " And if he undertook it, would he likely be turned away ? " " And it 's likelier," George answers him, " that heaven and earth shall pass." So I '11 hear it to my dyin' day, his voice a floatin' down to me from up above thar, askin' them questions that nobody could ever answer like, so soon he answered 'em for himself.' " 26— VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS. For nine hundred years this hymn has been in constant use in the West. It has been ascribed to Charlemagne, St. Ambrose, and Gregory the Great. It has been trans- lated by Dryden, Luther, Bishop Cosin, and innumer- able other singers. Ekkehard, the Monk of St. Gall, says that the groaning of a water-wheel, whose supply of water was running short, suggested to Notker, who was lying sleepless in an adjoining dormitory, the pos- sibility of setting its melancholy moaning to music. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. ^J He succeeded so well that he produced the Sequence on the Holy Spirit, which, being sent by him to Charles (the Fat, not Charlemagne), led the latter to compose the " Veni Creator Spiritus." A strange legend as to the origin of a hymn that, among its other achieve- ments, has the singular good fortune of being the only hymn in the English Prayer Book. Bishop Cosin's version of the hymn has been used for over two hun- dred years at the Consecration of Anglican bishops and priests. In the Roman Church it was appointed for use at the Creation of a Pope, the Election of a Bishop, the Coronation of Kings, and the Elevation and Translation of Saints. The Latin version is that now in use in the Roman Church. It differs slightly — chiefly in the order of the words — from the original version. COME, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, And lighten with celestial fire ; Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart : Thy blessed unction from above Is comfort, life, and fire of love. Enable with perpetual light The dullness of our blinded sight : Anoint and cheer our soiled face With the abundance of Thy grace : Keep far our foes, give peace at home ; Where Thou art Guide no ill can come. Teach us to know the Father, Son, And Thee, of Both, to be but One; That through the ages all along This may be our endless song, Praise to Thy eternal merit, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. 78 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. VENI, Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita, Imple superna gratia, Quae tu creasti pectora. Qui diceris Paraclitus, Altissimi donum Dei, Fons vivus, ignis, charitas, Et spiritalis unctio. Tu septiformis munere, Digitus Paternee dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, Sermone ditans guttura. Accende lumen sensibus, Infunde amorem cordibus, Infirma nostri corporis, Virtute firmans perpeti. Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus ; Ductore sic te praevio Vitemus omne noxium. Per te sciamus da Patrem, Noscamus atque Filium, Teque utriusque Spiritum Credamus omni tempore. Tune— "Veni Creator, No. i." The Primate of Scotland says that he uses this hymn more than daily, and loves it beyond all others. Pro- fessor Barrett, speaking of his own experience, says : " There is no hymn which dwells so vividly in my memory as this, nor do I think any has been more stirring and helpful to me." o HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 79 IV. — Times and Seasons. 27— CHRISTMAS. ADESTE FIDELES. The use of this Christmas hymn only dates from the close of the last century, although it may have been composed a century earlier. COME, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem ; Come and behold Him Born, the King of Angels ; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. God of God, Light of Light, Lo ! He abhors not the Virgin's womb; Very God, Begotten, not created ; O come, let us adore Him, etc. Sing, choirs of Angels, Sing in exultation. Sing, all ye citizens of Heav'n above " Glory to God In the highest ; " O come, let us adore Him, etc. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning ; Jesu, to Thee be glory given ; Word of the Father, Now in fiesh appearing ; 80 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. Amen. ADESTE, fiddles, Laeti triumphdntes; Venite, venfte in Bethlehem ; Ndtum viddte Regem angeldrum ; Venfte adordmus, Venfte adordmus, Venite adordmus Dominum. Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, Gestant puell^ viscera : Deum vdrum, Genitum non fdctum : Venite adordmus, etc. Cantet nunc lo Chorus angeldrum ; Cantet nunc aula coeldstium, Gloria in excelsis Deo : Venite adordmus, etc. Ergo qui ndtus Die hodidrna, Jesu, Tibi sit gldria: Patris aeterni Verbum caro factum : Venfte adordmus, etc. Tune — "Adeste Fideles." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 8 1 28-CHRISTMAS. HARKI THE HERALD ANGELS SING. This familiar Christmas hymn was originally written, " Hark how all the welkin rings," as is shown within brackets, and also in the second verse there is a change. It is printed at the end of the Book of Common Prayer, and is the only Wesleyan hymn thus favoured. Both the hymn and the tune are insepa- rably associated with the English Christmas. HARK ! the herald angels sing, — Glory to the new-born King; [Hark how all the welkin rings, " Glory to the King of kings,] Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled ! " Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies ; With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem. [Universal Nature, say, " Christ the Lord is born to-day ! "] Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come. Offspring of a virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see, Hail, the Incarnate Deity ! Pleased as man with men to appear, Jesus, our Immanuel here ! Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace ! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness ! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings. 82 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Mild He lays His glory by, Born, that man no more may die, Born, to raise the sons of earth, Born, to give them second birth. Come, Desire of Nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home ; Rise, the woman's conquering Seed, Bruise in us the Serpent's head. Now display Thy saving power, Ruined nature now restore ; Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine. Adam's likeness. Lord, efface, Stamp Thy image in its place ; Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love. Let us Thee, though lost, regain. Thee, the Life, the Heavenly Man : Oh ! to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart. 29 — LENT. MISERERE. The penitential psalm (the fifty-first), attributed to David after his sin with Bathsheba, is, perhaps, of all the psalms in the Psalter, that which has helped men most. Mr. Marson says, in his " Psalms at Work " : "None of the other psalms have had half the effect upon men's minds that this one has had. It has a library of its own." It was the favourite of Aldhelm in the eighth century and of Keble in the nineteenth. HAVE mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness ; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my trans- gressions. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 83 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my trangressions ; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight ; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold I was shapen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts ; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness ; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation ; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways ; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my Hps; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice ; else would I give it ; thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 84 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with t^e sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. MISERERE mei, Deus : secundum magnam misericdrdiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miseratidnum tudrum : dele iniquitdtem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitdte mea : et a peccdto meo munda me. Quoniam iniquitdtem meam ego cogndsco : et peccdtum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccdvi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificdris in sermdnibus tuis, et vincas cum judicdris. Ecce enim in iniquitdtibus conc^ptus sum : et in peccdtis concepit me mater mea. Ecce enim, veritdtem dilexisti : in cdrta et occulta sapidntiae tuae, manifestdsti mihi. Aspdrges me hyssdpo, et munddbor: lavdbis me, et super nivem dealbdbor. Audftui meo dabis gaudium et laetftiam : et exultdbunt ossa humilidta. Avdrte fdciem tuam a peccdtis meis : et omnes iniquitdtes meas dele. Cor mundum crea in me, Deus : et spiritum rectum fnnova in viscdribus meis. Ne projicias me a fdcie tua : et Spfritum sanctum tuum ne aiiferas a me. Redde mihi laetitiam salutdris tui : et spiritu principili confirma me. Docdbo infquos vias tuas : et impii ad te coa- vertdntur. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 85 Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae : et exultdbit lingua mea justitiam tuam. Domine, Idbia mea aperies : et os meum annun- tidbit laudem tuam. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem, utique : holocaustis non delectdberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribuldtus : cor con- tritum et humilidtum, Deus, non despicies. Benfgne, fac, Ddmine, in bona voluntdte tua Sion : ut aedificdntur muri Jerusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta : tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. Gloria Patri, etc. Dr. Ker, writing on the same theme in " The Psalms in History," says : " It was sung by George Wishart and his friends the night he was talien prisoner, to be afterwards burned. It was read to Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Guildford Dudley, when they were exe- cuted together, August 22, 1553 — read to her in Latin, and repeated by her in English. It was also read at Norfolk's execution a few years later. For a long period in the Middle Ages, and after the Reformation, it was the Miserere, the last cry for mercy sung or heard by those who were about to step into the presence of the Judge. Most of the Huguenots made it their death-song." 30— GOOD FRIDAY. STABAT MATER. This most pathetic hymn of the Middle Ages is not so well known among Protestants as it ought to be. " The vividness with which it pictures the weeping mother at the Cross, its tenderness, its beauty of rhythm, its melo- dious double rhymes, and its impressiveness when sung either to the fine plain song melody or in the noble compositions which many of the great masters of music have set to it, go far to justify the place it has long held in the Roman Catholic Church." 86 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. It dates in its present form from about 1150. It has been attributed to four Popes, to St. Bernard, and others, but was really written by Jacopone, Jacobus de Benedictis. The Flagellants used it to help them to bear the lashes which they inflicted on each other as they wandered from town to town in the fourteenth century. It has been translated seventy-eight times into German, and many times into every other language. It has been set to music by Palestrina, Pergolesi, Haydn, Rossini, and Dvorak. It has been Protestantised by mutilation in Hymns Ancient and Modern. I give here the Latin and EngUsh versions from the Roman Catho- lic Parochial Hymn-Book. AT the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful mother weeping Close to Jesus to the last ; Through her heart His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed. Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blessed Of the sole-begotten One ! Christ above in torment hangs, She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son. Is there one who would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold? Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's pain untold.'' Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender child All with bloody scourges rent, HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 87 For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent. O thou Mother ! fount of love ! Touch my spirit from above. Make my heart with thine accord ; Make me feel as thou hast felt ; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ my Lord. Holy Mother ! pierce me through ; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour cruciiied : Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain. Who for me in torments died. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning JHim who mourned for me. All the days that I may live : By the cross with thee to stay. There with thee to weep and pray, Is all I ask of thee to give. Virgin of all virgins best. Listen to my fond request : Let me share thy grief divine ; Let me, to my latest breath, In my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine. Wounded with His every wound. Steep my soul till it hath swooned In His very blood away: Be to me, O Virgin, nigh. Lest in flames I burn and die In His awful judgment day. 88 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Christ, when thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defence. Be Thy cross my victory ; While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen. STABAT Mater dolorosa Juxta crucem lacrymosa, Dum pendebat Filius, Cujus animam gementem, Contristatam, et dolentem, Pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit ilia benedicta Mater Unigeniti. Quae mcerebat, et dolebat, Pia Mater, dum videbat Nati poenas inclyti. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio ? Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari Dolentem cum Filio ? Pro peccatis suae gentis Vidit Jesum in tormentis, Et flagellis subditum. Vidit suum dulcem Natum Moriendo desolatum, Dum emisit spiritum. Eia Mater, fons amoris, Me sentire vim doloris, Fac, ut tecum lugeam. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 89 Fac ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum Deum, Ut sibi complaceam. San eta Mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas Cordi meo valide. Tui Nati vulnerati, Tam dignati pro me pati, Poenas mecum divide. Fac me tecum pie flere, Crucifixo condolere, Donee ego vixero. Juxta Crucem tecum stare, Et me tibi sociare In planctu desidero. Virgo virginum prasclara, Mihi jam non sis amara; Fac me tecum plangere. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, Passionis fac consortem, Et plagas recolere. Fac me plagis vulnerari. Fac me Cruce inebriari, Et cruore Filii, Flammis ne urar succensus, Per te, Virgo, sim defensus In die judicii. Christe, cum sit hinc exire Da per Matrem me venire Ad palmam victoriae. Quando corpus morietur, Fac ut animae donetur Paradisi gloria. Amen. Tune— "Stabat Mater." 90 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. When Sir Walter Scott lay dying, Lockhart, his son- in-law, after saying that they could hear him muttering some of the magnificent hymns of the Roman ritual, in which he had always delighted, adds : " We very often heard distinctly the cadence of the ' Dies Irae,' and I think the very last stanza that we could make out was the first of a still greater favourite, ' Stabat Mater Dolorosa.'" It is worthy of note that this poem, which holds all but the highest place in the hymnody of the Catholic Church, was composed by a man who, for his zeal for reform, was thrown into jail by the ecclesiastical au- thorities of his day. He lay in the dungeon to which he had been consigned until the death of Pope Boniface the Eighth, when he was released. 3J— EASTER. CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TO-DAY. This hymn by Charles Wesley, set to Handel's " See the Conquering Hero Comes," has long been accepted as the best English Easter hymn. Yet it is curious to note that John Wesley dropped it out of the Wesleyan Hymn-Book in 1780, and it did not regain its place there till 1830. CHRIST, the Lord, is risen to-day, Sons of men, and angels, say : Raise your songs and triumphs high : Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply. Love's redeeming work is done : Fought the fight, the battle won. Lo ! our sun's eclipse is o'er : Lo ! He sets in blood no more. Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Christ hath burst the gates of hell ; Death, in vain, forbids Him rise; Christ hath opened Paradise. HOLY WOMEN AT THE TOMB OF CHRIST" — Bonguereau "Death, in vain, forbids Him rise; Ciirist hatii opened Paradise." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 9 1 Lives again our glorious King; Where, O Deatli, is now thy sting ? Once He died our souls to save ; Where 's thy victory, O Grave ? Soar we now where Christ hath led, Following our exalted Head: Made hke Him, like Him we rise : Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Hail ! the Lord of earth and heaven: Praise to Thee by both be given, Thee we greet triumphant now: Hail ! the Resurrection, Thou ! King of glory, soul of bliss, Everlasting life is this, Thee to know. Thy power to prove, Thus to sing, and thus to love. Tune — "Easter Hymn" (with Alleluias) from thb "Lyra Davidica." 32 — TH07IAS AQUINAS'S HYMN. A Catholic friend to whom I referred the question as to the choice of hymns that have helped Catholics, insisted that I ought to include two hymns of Thomas Aquinas. The worst of Catholic hymns is that they have always to be given both in Latin and in English ; therefore, instead of two by Aquinas, I only give one. SING, my tongue, the Saviour's glory. Of His flesh the mystery sing; Of the blood, all price exceeding, Shed by our Immortal King, Destined for the world's redemption, From a noble womb to spring. 92 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Of a pure and spotless Virgin Born for us on earth below, He, as Man with man conversing, Stayed the seeds of truth to sow ; Then He closed in solemn order Wondrously His life of woe. On the night of that Last Supper, Seated with His chosen band, He the paschal victim eating. First fulfils the Law's command ; Then, as food to all His brethren, Gives Himself with His own hand. Word made flesh, the bread of nature By His Word to Flesh He turns ; Wine into His Blood He changes : — What though sense no change discerns. Only be the heart in earnest, Faith her lesson quickly learns. Down in adoration falling, Lo ! the Sacred Host we hail : Lo ! o'er ancient forms departing, Newer rites of grace prevail: Faith for all defects supplying. Where the feeble senses fail. To the Everlasting Father, And the Son who reigns on high, With the Holy Ghost proceeding Forth from each eternally. Be salvation, honour, blessing. Might and endless majesty. Amen. PANGE lingua gloridsi Corporis myst^rium, Sanguinisque pretidsi, HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 93 Quern in mundi pretium Fructus ventris generdsi Rex effudit gentium. Nobis datus, nobis ndtus Ex intacta Virgine, Et in mundo conversdtus, Sparso verbi sdmine, Sui moras incoMtus, Miro ch.usit ordine. In supr^mae nocte coenae, Recumbens cum frdtribus, Observata leg- plena Cibis ill legdlibus, Cibum '.urbs; duoddnae Se dat -uis manibus. Verbum cAro panem v^rum Verbo carnem efficit : Fitque sanguis Christi merum! Et si sensus deficit, Ad firmandum cor sincdrum Sola fides sufficit. Tantum ergo Sdcramentum Vener^mur cernui : Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui : Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui. Geuito'ri, Genitdque Laus et Jubildtio, Salu., honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utrdque Compar sit lauddtio. Amen. Tune — " Pange Lingua" (Ancient Plain Song). 94 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 33 -IN COMMEMORATION OF THE DEAD. DE PROFUNDIS. The One Hundred and Thirtieth Psalm, used by the Roman Catholics on going and returning from funerals, is declared by Jeremy Taylor to be the Psalm of Psalms for the sick. It was the last psalm of Mary Queen of Scots, and was quoted at the last by the judicious Rich- ard Hooker. It was the peculiar delight of Luther, whose version Aus tiefci- noth schrei ich zu Dir was only less popular than his " Ein' feste Burg." It was sung at his funeral, and many a time it rallied him and his followers in the midst of despair. It was the singing of this psalm at St. Paul's that paved the way for the conversion of John Wesley. OUT of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice ; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord ; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemp- tion. And He shall redeem Israel from all His iniquities. DE profundis clamavi ad te, Domine : Domine, exaudi vocem meam. Fiant aures tu£e intendentes in vocem depreca- tionis meae. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 95 Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine: Domine, quis sustinebit? Quia apud te propitiatio est: et propter legem tuam sustinuite, Domine. Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: speravit anima mea in Domino. A custodia matutina usque ad noctem : speret Israel in Domino. Quia apud Dominum misericordia : et copiosa apud eum redemptio. Et ipse redimet Israel, ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus. V. Requiem aetemam dona eis Domine. R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis. V. Requiescant in pace. R. Amen. 34— THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. DIES IRAE. This most famous and awful of all the hymns of the Church is supposed to have been written in the thirteenth century by Thomas of Celano, the friend and biographer of St. Francis of Assisi. Originally used as an advent hymn, it is now used as the sequence in the mass for the dead. Goethe uses it in " Faust." Sir Walter Scott, who muttered it on his death-bed, translated part of it in " The Lay of the Last Minstrel." There are said to be one hundred and sixty translations into English and ninety into German. Archbishop Trench says : *' It holds a foremost place among the masterpieces of sacred song." I quote Sir Walter Scott's translation, of which Mr. Gladstone says : " I know nothing so subUme in any portion of the sacred poetry of modern times." THAT day of wrath, that dreadful day, When heaven and earth shall pass away, What power shall be the sinner's stay.? How shall he meet that dreadful day? 96 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. When, shriveling like a parched scroll, The flaming heavens together roll ; When louder yet, and yet more dread, Swells the high trump that wakes the dead : Oh ! on that day, that wrathful day, When man to judgment wakes from clay, Be Thou the trembling sinner's stay. Though heaven and earth shall pass away ! Sir Walter did not carry his translation further. Dr. Irons' translation was prompted by the effect pro- duced by the singing of " Dies Irse," when the heart of the Archbishop of Paris, who had been killed on the barricades in 1848, was displayed in the choir of Notre Dame. DAY of wrath ! O day of mourning ! See fulfilled the prophet's warning ! Heaven and earth in ashes burning. O what fear man's bosom rendeth ! When from heaven the Judge descendeth, On whose sentence all dependeth ! Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth, Through earth's sepulchres it ringeth, All before the throne it bringeth. Death is struck, and nature quaking, All creation is awaking, To its Judge an answer making. Lo, the Book, exactly worded, Wherein all hath been recorded ! Thence shall judgment be awarded. When the Judge His seat attaineth, And each hidden deed arraigneth, Nothing unavenged remaineth. SIR WALTER SCOTT Bom at Edinburgh, August 15, 1771 Died at Abbotsford, September 21, 1832 Be Thou the trembling smner's stay, Though heaven and earth shall pass away! HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 97 What shall I, frail man, be pleading, Who for me be interceding, When the just are mercy needing? King of majesty tremendous. Who dost free salvation send us. Fount of pity, then befriend us ! Think, good Jesus, my salvation Caused Thy wondrous incarnation ; Leave me not to reprobation. Faint and weary Thou hast sought me, On the cross of suffering bought me ; Shall such grace be vainly brought me ? Righteous Judge ! for sin's pollution Grant Thy gift of absolution, Ere that day of retribution. Guilty, now I pour my moaning, All my shame with anguish owning ; Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning ! Thou the sinful woman savedst; Thou the dying thief forgavest; And to me a hope vouchsafest. Worthless are my prayers and sighing. Yet, good Lord, in grace complying. Rescue me from fires undying. With Thy favoured sheep O place me, Nor among the goats abase me ; But to Thy right hand upraise me. While the wicked are confounded. Doomed to flames of woe unbounded, Call me with Thy saints surrounded. 7 98 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Low I kneel, with heart submission : See, like ashes, my contrition ; Help me in my last condition. Ah, that day of tears and mourning ! From the dust of earth returning, Man for judgment must prepare him; Spare, O God, in mercy spare him ! Lord all-pitying, Jesus blest. Grant them Thine eternal rest ! DIES iras, dies ilia Solvet sasclum in favilla ; Teste David cum Sybilla. Quantus tremor est futurus Quando Judex est venturus, Cuncta stricte discussurus ! Tuba mirum spargens sonum Per sepulchra regionum, Coget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura, Cum resurget creatura, Judicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur, In quo totum continetur, Unde mundus judicetur. Judex ergo cum sedebit, Quidquid latet, apparebit : Nil inultum remanebit. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus ? Quem patronum rogaturus ? Cum vix Justus sit securus. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 99 Rex tremendae mqjestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salve me, fons pietatis. Recordare, Jesu pie, Quod sum causa tuae viae ; Ne me perdas ilia die. Quaerens me sedisti lassus, Redemisti crucem passus; Tantus labor non sit cassus. Juste Judex ultionis, Donum fac remissionis Ante diem rationis. Ingemisco tanquam reus. Culpa rubet vultus meus, Supplicanti parce Deus. Qui Mariam absolvisti, Et latronem exaudisti, Mihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sunt dignae, Sed tu bonus fac benigne, Ne perenni cremer igne. Inter eves locum praesta, Et ab hoedis me sequestra. Statuens in parte dextra. Confutatis maledictis, Flammis acribus addictis, Voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, Cor contritum quasi cinis: Gere curam mei finis. 100 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED, Lacrymosa dies ilia, Qua resurget ex favilla. Judicandus homo reus, Huic ergo parce Deus. Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem. Tune — Dr. Dykes's " Dies Irje." 35 — LOl HE COMES. The English hymn that supplies in the Protestant world the place of the " Dies Irae," is the composite hymn written by Cennick and C. Wesley. LO ! He comes with clouds descending, Once for favoured sinners slain •, Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of His train : Hallelujah ! Jesus comes, and comes to reign. Every eye shall then behold Him, Robed in dreadful majesty ; Those who set at nought and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree, Deeply wailing, Shall the true Messiah see. Every island, sea, and mountain, Heaven and earth shall flee away : All who hate Him must, confounded, Hear the summons of that day : — Come to judgment. Come to judgment, come away ! Now redemption, long expected, See, in solemn pomp, appear ; All His saints, by man rejected, HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 1 01 Now shall meet Him in the air: Hallelujah ! See the day of God appear. Yea, Amen ; let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne : Saviour, take the power and glory, Make Thy righteous sentence known. O come quickly, Claim the kingdom for Thine own. Tune — " Helmsley," or "St. Thomas." There are many forms of this hymn, but the above is 3 popular as any other. V. — Litanies. 36 -WHEN OUR HEADS ARE BOWED WITH WOE. Dean Milman's poem, on Christ's sympathy for hu- man sorrows, was written for the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. It is based upon the narrative (in the Gospel for that day) of Christ's miracle at Nain. As a Litany, in Lent, and at burials, the hymn is largely used. The refrain was originally written, " Gracious Son of Mary, hear I " WHEN our heads are bowed with woe, When our bitter tears o'erflow, When we mourn the lost, the dear, Jesu, Son of Mary, hear ! Thou our throbbing flesh hast worn, Thou our mortal griefs hast borne. Thou hast shed the human tear ; Jesu, Son of Mary, hear! 102 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. When the solemn death-bell tolls For our own departing souls, When our final doom is near, Jesu, Son of Mary, hear 1 Thou hast bowed the dying head, Thou the blood of life hast shed, Thou hast filled a mortal bier j Jesu, Son of Mary, hear ! When the heart is sad within With the thought of all its sin ; When the spirit shrinks with fear ; Jesu, Son of Mary, hear ! Thou the shame, the grief, hast known — Though the sins were not Thine own. Thou hast deigned their load to bear ; Jesu, Son of Mary, hear ! Tune — "Redhead, No. 47," 37 -SAVIOUR, WHEN IN DUST TO THEE. This hymn, written by Sir Robert Grant, at one time Governor of Bombay under the East India Company, has received the hall-mark of helpful usefulness in all parts of the English-speaking world. SAVIOUR, when in dust to Thee Low we bow the adoring knee ; When, repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our weeping eyes; O ! by all Thy pains and woe, Suffered once for man below. Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our solemn litany. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. IO3 By Thy helpless infant years, By Thy life of want and tears, By Thy days of sore distress In the savage wilderness, By the dread mysterious hour Oi the insulting tempter's power; Turn, O turn a favouring eye, Hear our solemn litany. By the sacred grief that wept O'er the grave where Lazarus slept ; By the boding tears that flowed Over Salem's loved abode ; By the anguished sigh that told Treachery lurked within Thy fold ; From Thy seat above the sky, Hear our solemn litany. By Thine hour of dire despair, By Thine agony of prayer ; By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear and torturing scorn ; By the gloom that veiled the skies O'er the dreadful sacrifice, Listen to our humble cry, Hear our solemn litany. By Thy deep expiring groan ; By the sad sepulchral stone; By the vault whose dark abode Held in vain the rising God ; O ! from earth to heaven restored, Mighty re-ascended Lord, Listen, listen to the cry Of our solemn litany. Tune — "Miserere" or " Tichfield." 104 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 38 -WHEN THE WEARY, SEEKING REST. This Litany, by Horatius Bonar, is modelled upon the prayer of Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. WHEN the weary, seeking rest, To thy goodness flee ; When the heavy-laden cast All their load on thee; When the troubled, seeking peace, On thy Name shall call ; When the sinner, seeking life, At thy feet shall fall: Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry, In heaven thy dwelling-place on high. When the worldling, sick at heart, Lifts his soul above ; When the prodigal looks back To his Father's love : When the proud man, in his pride, Stoops to seek thy face ; When the burdened brings his guilt To thy throne of grace ; Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry, In heaven thy dwelling-place on high. When the stranger asks a home, All his toils to end ; When the hungry craveth food. And the poor a friend ; When the sailor on the wave Bows the fervent knee ; When the soldier on the field Lifts his heart to thee : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry. In heaven thy dwelling-place on high. HYIMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. IO5 When the man of toil and care In the city crowd ; When the shepherd on the moor Names the name of God ; When the learned and the high, Tired of earthly fame, Upon higher joys intent. Name the blessed Name : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cr5r, In heaven thy dwelling-place on high. When the child, with grave fresh lip, Youth or maiden fair ; When the aged, weak and grey. Seek thy face in prayer ; When the widow weeps to thee. Sad and lone and low; When the orphan brings to thee All his orphan woe : Hear then in love, O Lord, the cry. In heaven thy dwelling-place on high. Tune — " Intercession." Bishop Eraser of Manchester used to say that he regarded this as the finest hymn in the English lan- guage. His second favourite was " I heard the voice of Jesus say." VI. — Guidance. 39— LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT. Of all the modern hymns praying for guidance, New- man's famous three verses seem to be most popular, — especially with people who have not accepted the lead- ing of any church or theological authority. " The only hymn of which words and music touched any chord in me," wrote the Hon. Reginald Brett, " is Cardinal New I06 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. man's 'Lead, Kindly Light.' My opinion is that the music and the congregational singing are the causes of emotion, not the words of any hymn." Cardinal New- man seems to have been very much of the same opinion. He once remarked that he was deeply thankful for the hold his hymn had obtained on the public; but, he added, " it is not the hymn but the tune that has gained the popularity." This is undoubtedly true in certain quarters. In the seance rooms of Chicago it was con- stantly sung while the medium was waiting for mate- rialization or other manifestations, chiefly on account of the tune and the reference in the last verse to " angel faces." But, on the other hand, the hymn has the first place in the favour of such fervent Catholics as the Marquis of Ripon and Mr. Justin McCarthy, and such stout Protestants as Sir Evelyn Wood and a leading member of Lord Rosebery's Cabinet. Mrs. Lynn Linton (who may be said to represent the Agnostics) and Mr. Thomas Hardy include it among their three first favourites. The hymn was not at first included in some Nonconformist hymnals. Mr. Richard Le Gal- lienne, the poet, for instance, writes : " I was brought up among the Baptists, who, if I remember aright, did not in my time sing, ' Lead, Kindly Light,' which I learned to love in a late period of church-going. That seems to me," he adds, " if one had to choose, the finest of all hymns, as it contains piety and poetry in the high- est proportion." The Rev. Dr. Rigg, who may be regarded as the best representative of the old school of Wesleyans, writes as follows about the hymn : — " ' Lead, Kindly Light,' is a great favourite with very many, being a hymn that touches the heart and ex- presses, more or less, the experience of many souls. Certainly it is one which might often have expressed, more or less distinctly, my own experience ; but I have not found it a helpful hymn for deliverance, or a strengthening hymn in distress and conflict. It con- duces to resignation, it may be, but scarcely leads on to victory. It is not in our Methodist collection, and I ^■^^^'^V^*?'■■^^V^ IV^'x" •^V,l/^- %^^-^S^J:n> •>^c. CARDINAL JOHN HENRY NEWMAN Bom at London, February 21, 1801 Died at Edgbaston, August 11, i8qo Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom: Lead Thou me on " HYMNS THAT HAVE HELrED. 10/ could not say that it has been a helpful hymn to me spiritually, though it is a touching poem, and in various ways prophetic of the experience of its writer." No doubt it is somewhat hard for the staunch Pro- testant to wax enthusiastic over the invocation of a " Kindly Light " which led its author straight into the arms of the Scarlet Woman of the Seven Hills. Against this may be put the fact that when the Parliament of Religions met at Chicago, the representatives of every creed known to man found two things on which they were agreed. They could all join in the Lord's Prayer, and they could all sing, " Lead, Kindly Light." This hymn, Mrs. Drew tells me, and " Rock of Ages," are two of Mr. Gladstone's " most favourite hymns." LEAD, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom ; Lead thou me on : The night is dark, and I am far from home ; Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene ; one step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Should'st lead me on : I loved to choose and see my path ; but now, Lead thou me on. I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will ; remember not past years. So long thy power hath blest me, sure it still Will lead me on, O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till The night is gone. And with the morn those angel faces smile. Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile. Tune — " Lux Benigna." " It seems to me rather singular," writes a correspond- «Dt In Wales, " that verses so full of faith as ' Lead, I08 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Kindly Light,' should be mentioned with such approval by so many sceptics." He then sends me the following attempt to express the views of an Agnostic, thoughtful, humble, and reverent, but quite unable to attain to Newman's standpoint. The way is dark : I cry amid the gloom For guiding light ; A wanderer, none knows whence or what his doom, I brave the night. Fair scenes afar, as in a dream, I see, Then seem to wake, and faith deserteth me. In wondering awe I bend the knee before The viewless Might ; And all my heart in mute appeal I pour, While straining sight Peers o'er the waste, yet Him I cannot find Whom seeks my soul : I grope as grope the blind. But 'mid confusing phantom-lights I strive To go aright : A still small voice leads on, and love doth give An inward might ; And spite of sense, their lives a silent trust That day will dawn, that man is more than dust. R. M. L. Another correspondent remarks : " To ray mind there is only a spirit of sadness, the blind groping in the dark in loneliness and helplessness. Surely, this is not the highest hope of a follower of Christ." On the other hand, a Scotchman writes as follows : — " My spiritual experience has been varied. I was bap- tised in the Roman Catholic Church, brought up in the Congregational Independent, and at length I was fascinated by the history, energy, and enthusiasm of the Wesleyans. I was at one time a local preacher in that HVMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 109 body with a view to the ministry. But my fervid fit of exaltation was choked with the dusty facts of life, and smouldered down into a dry indifference. I sought nourishment in secularism and agnosticism, but found none. I was in the slough of despond, at the centre of indifference, with the everlasting ' no' on my lips, when ' Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom ' came to my troubled soul like the voice of angels. Wandering in the wilderness, ' o'er moor and fen, o'er crag and tor- rent,' Newman's Hymn was to me a green oasis, a heal- ing spring, the shadow of a great rock. Through the light and power of God I was led to light and love in Christ in a way I had never before known or experi- enced." A " Friend " writes : " If thou art sending to Mr. Stead with regard to hymns, I should put for myself rather high ' Lead, Kindly Light,' not only because of its beautiful words, but also because of him who felt them and wrote them. It is such an instruction that so great an intellect found without Christ nothing but an ' en- circling gloom' — that so powerful a nature, a leader among men, wished to be * humble as a child and guided where to go.' " 40 — GUTOE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH. For those who have been brought up on the Bible and who have never suffered the bewilderment of the Agnos- tic, this famous Welsh hymn in its English dress is worth a hundred *' Lead, Kindly Lights." It was writ- ten at the close of last century by William Williams, a popular Calvinistic-Methodist evangelist and hymn- writer. It was Richard Knill the missionary's favour- ite hymn, and was constantly on his lips when dying. The last verse has been the comfort of many a dying Christian, and it has been sung and is still being sung around death-beds, to the accompaniment of heart- choking sobs and streaming tears. Here is a hymn that has helped indeed. no HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. GUIDE me, O Thou Great Jehovah ! Pilgrim through this barren land : I am weak, but Thou art mighty, Hold me with Thy powerful hand. Bread of heaven ! Feed me till I want no more. Open Thou the crystal fountain, Whence the heaHng streams do flow : Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey through ; Strong Deliverer ! Be Thou still my strength and shield. When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside : Death of death, and hell's Destruction ! Land me safe on Canaan's side ; Songs of praises I will ever give to Thee. Tune — " Dismissal." 41 -THE LORD »S MY SHEPHERD. [f " Lead, Kindly Light," is English, and " Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah," is Welsh, " The Lord 's my Shep- herd " is Scotch. THE Lord 's my shepherd, I '11 not want. He makes me down to lie In pastures green : he leadeth me the quiet waters by. My soul he doth restore again ; and me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness, ev'n for his own name's sake. "THE GOOD SHEPHERD"— A?/zr O It; O (D < X HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 21/ up and doing ' in my early days." He adds : " I do not know whether this comes in the category of hymns, but if it does not, it ought to." The Rev. Samuel Longfellow, brother of Henry, wrote several hymns which the Rev. Minot J. Savage says the Unitarians in the United States find exceedingly helpful. 120 -GOETHE'S "OHNE HAST UND OHNE Goethe's hymn I have taken from " Hymns and An- thems " used at the South Place Chapel. I would have liked to include the verses which Mr. Morley said came nearer expressing his ultimate thought than anything else, but I could not drag them even into my very wide net. So I content myself with this. WITHOUT haste and without rest: Bind the motto to thy breast, Bear it with thee as a spell ; Storm or sunshine, guard it well ! Heed not flowers that round thee bloom Bear it onward to the tomb ! Haste not — let no thoughtless deed Mar the spirit's steady speed ; Ponder well and know the right, Onward then with all thy might; Haste not — years can ne'er atone For one reckless action done ! Rest not — life is sweeping by, Do and dare before you die ; Something worthy and sublime Leave behind to conquer time : Glorious 't is to live for aye, When these forms have p'assed away. 2l8 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Haste not — rest not, calm in strife Meekly bear the storms of life ; Duty be thy polar guide, Do the right whate'er betide ; Haste not — rest not — conflicts past, God shall crown thy work at last ! J2I- WORKMAN OF GOD, O LOSE NOT HEART. This — another contribution of Faber's to thehymnody of the Church Universal — is " As lofty as the love of God, and wide as are the wants of men." WORKMAN of God, O lose not heart, But learn what God is like ; And in the darkest battle-field Thou shalt know where to strike. Thrice blest is he to whom is given The instinct that can tell That God is on the field when He Is most invisible. Blest too is he who can divine Where real right doth lie, And dares to take the side that seems Wrong to man's blindfold eye. God's glory is a wondrous thing. Most strange in all its ways ; And, of all things on earth, least like What men agree to praise. Muse on His justice, downcast soul, Muse, and take better heart ; Back with thine angel to the field, And bravely do thy part. Oh O HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 219 For right is right, since God is God ; And right the day must win ; To doubt would be disloyalty, To falter would be sin. J22 — WORK, FOR THE NIGHT IS COMING. Years ago, when the DarHngton School Board was wrestling with the religious difficulties, a local disciple of Mr. Bradlaugh subjected Sankey's hymns to a criti- cal examination, with the result that this hymn, " Work, for the night is coming," was declared to be the only hymn in the book that could be used in the Board Schools without giving offence to the Secularist conscience. WORK, for the night is coming ! Work through the morning hours ; Work while the dew is sparkling, Work 'mid springing flowers: Work when the day grows brighter, Work in the glowing sun ; Work, for the night is coming, When man's work is done. Work, for the night is coming, Work through the sunny noon: Fill brightest hours with labour, Rest comes sure and soon. Give every flying minute Something to keep in store : Work, for the night is coming, When man works no more. Work, for the night is coming, Under the sunset skies ! While their bright tints are glowing Work, for daylight flies. 220 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Work till the last beam fadeth, Fadeth to shine no more : Work while the night is dark'ning, When man's work is o'er. Tune from " Songs and Solos." J23- COURAGE, BROTHER I DO NOT STUMBLE. This cheery marching song by the late Dr. Norman Macleod has a lilt and a go in it which are quite suffi- cient to explain its popularity. It is also free from any objection as to sectarian bias. COURAGE, brother! do not stumble, Though thy path be dark as night ; There 's a star to guide the humble ; — Trust in God, and do the right. Let the road be rough and dreary, And its end far out of sight, Foot it bravely ! strong or weary, Trust in God, and do the right. Perish policy and cunning, Perish all that fears the light ! Whether losing, whether winning. Trust in God, and do the right. Trust no party, sect, or faction ; Trust no leaders in the fight ; But in every word and action Trust in God, and do the right. Trust no lovely forms of passion, — Fiends may look like angels bright ; Trust no custom, school, or fashion — Trust in God, and do the right. 2 S Q HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 221 Simple rule, and safest guiding, Inward peace, and inward might, Star upon our path abiding, — Trust in God, and do the right. Some will hate thee, some will love thee. Some will flatter, some will slight; Cease from man, and look above thee, ■ — Trust in God, and do the right. Tune — "St. Oswald." J24- STANDING BY A PURPOSE TRUE. This little hymn, by Philip Bliss, Edna Lyall specially mentioned as one which had helped her. It is quaint, but it has helped many another to learn the lesson which is perhaps of all others most difficult to learn. STANDING by a purpose true, Heeding God's command, Honour them, the faithful few! All hail to Daniel's Band ! Dare to be a Daniel ! Dare to stand alone ! Dare to have a purpose firm ! Dare to make it known! Many mighty men are lost, Daring not to stand. Who for God had been a host. By joining Daniel's Band. Many giants, great and tall, Stalking through the land, Headlong to the earth would fall, If met by Daniel's Band 1 222 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Hold the gospel banner high ! On to victory grand ! Satan and his host defy, And shout for Daniel's Band ! Tune from " Songs and Solos." Edna Lyall wrote : " I can certainly say that the re- frain of ' Dare to be a Daniel ' has helped me again and again. I do not know the rest of the hymn well, and some of it is rather funny, still I think it ought to be in the hymn-book." J25- RESCUE THE PERISHING. In 1885, in the outburst of public feeling that followed the publication of The Maiden Tribute, " Rescue the Perishing " was the hymn that was always sung at every public meeting in connection with that agitation. RESCUE the perishing, care for the dying — Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o'er the erring one, lift up the fallen — Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save. Rescue the perishing, care for the dying — Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. Though they are slighting Him, still He is wait- ing- Waiting the penitent child to receive. Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently : He will forgive if they only believe. Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore ; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 223 Rescue the perishing — duty demands it ; Strength for thy labour the Lord will provide ; Back to the narrow way patiently win them ; Tell the poor wanderer a Saviour has died. Tune from "Songs and Solos." J26- SOWING THE SEED. This hymn is from Sankey's collection, but, despite the criticism quoted on Hymn 122, it could surely be used by any assemblage that admitted the moral responsi- bility of man. SOWING the seed by the dawn-light fair, Sowing the seed by the noonday glare, Sowing the seed by the fading light, Sowing the seed in the solemn night: Oh, what shall the harvest be? Oh, what shall the harvest be ? Sown in the darkness or sown in the light, Sown in our weakness or sown in our might ; Gathered in time or eternity, Sure, ah! sure, will the harvest be ! Sowing the seed by the wayside high, Sowing the seed on the rocks to die ; Sowing the seed where the thorns will spoil, Sowing the seed in the fertile soil : Oh, what shall the harvest be 1 Sowing the seed of a ling'ring pain, Sowing the seed of a maddened brain, Sowing the seed of a tarnished name, Sowing the seed of eternal shame: Oh, what shall the harvest be ? Sowing the seed with an aching heart. Sowing the seed while the teardrops start, 224 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Sowing in hope till the reapers come Gladly to gather the harvest home : Oh, what shall the harvest be? Tune by Mr. Bliss. XV. — One is your Father. This section of this collection is devoted to hymns which help, not in the ordinary way. They, indeed, seldom appear in hymn-books — the more 's the pity. But they help many who find too much to dissent from in ordinary hymns to find any help therein. 127 -THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER. FATHER of All ! in ev'ry Age, In ev'ry Clime ador'd, By Saint, by Savage, and by Sage, Jehovah, Jove, or Lord ! Thou Great First Cause, least understood, Who all my Sense confin'd To know but this, that Thou art Good, And that myself am blind : Yet gave me, in this dark Estate, To see the Good from 111 ; And binding Nature fast in Fate, Left free the Human Will. What Conscience dictates to be done, Or warns me not to do. This, teach me more than Hell to shun. That, more than Heav'n pursue. What Blessings thy free Bounty gives. Let me not cast away ; For God is pay'd when Man receives; T' enjoy is to obey. ALEXANDER POPE Born in Lombard Street, London, May 21, Died at Twickenham, May 30, 1744 " That Mercy I to others show, That Mercy show to me." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 225 Yet not to Earth's contracted Span Thy Goodness let me bound, Or think Thee Lord alone of Man, When thousand Worlds are round. Let not this weak, unknowing hand Presume thy bolts to throw, And deal damnation round the land, On each I judge thy Foe. If I am right, thy grace impart, Still in the right to stay; If I am wrong, oh, teach my heart To find that better way. Save me alike from foolish Pride, Or impious Discontent, At aught thy Wisdom has deny'd Or aught thy Goodness lent. Teach me to feel another's Woe, To hide the Fault I see ; That Mercy I to others show, That Mercy show to me. Mean tho' I am, not wholly so, Since quick'ned by thy Breath ; Oh lead me wheresoe'er I go. Thro' this day's Life or Death. This day, be Bread and Peace my Lot : All else beneath the Sun, Thou know'st if best bestow'd or not ; And let Thy Will be done. To thee, whose Temple is all Space, Whose Altar Earth, Sea, Skies, One Chorus let all Being raise. All Nature's Incense rise ! 15 Tune — "Abridge." 226 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Pope, the author of this hymn, was a Roman Catho- lic by creed. But in the above hymn he is catholic indeed. A correspondent wrote me on behalf of some young Japanese friends, asking especially for the insertion of this hymn in the hope that " the time may come when even Christians, especially insular Protestant Christians, will arise to the full conception of the Holy One (Blessed be He!), that He has made of one Blood and of many honest beliefs all nations of the earth. In centuries hence, if the progress we hope for will be realised, surely hymns will be found or written in which all nations can join." A correspondent in Italy writes of this hymn : " My grandfather made me learn it when I was five years old, and since then it has stuck to my memory as almost a kind of active faith, when things in the world in general seem wrong, and faith is very feeble. At such times there is wonderful rest in the poem, something quite above our usual petty ideas." 128 -IMMORTAL LOVE, FOR EVER FULL. Whittier, the Quaker poet, wrote poems which have passed into general use as hymns, even among the Friends, who are not much given to hymn-singing. IMMORTAL Love, for ever full, For ever flowing free, For ever shared, for ever whole, A never-ebbing sea ! Our outward lips confess the Name All other names above; Love only knoweth whence it came And comprehendeth love. We may not climb the heavenly steeps To bring the Lord Christ down ; JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER Bom at Haverhill, Mass., December 17, 1807 Died at Hampton Falls, N. H., September 7, i8g2 " O Lord and Master of us all ! Whate'er our name or sign, We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call, We test our lives by Thine." HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 22/ In vain we search the lowest deeps, For him no depths can drown. But warm, sweet, tender, even yet A present help is he : And faith has still its Olivet, And love its GaUlee. The healing of his seamless dress Is by our beds of pain ; We touch him in life's throng and press, And we are whole again. Through him the first fond prayers are said Our lips of childhood frame, The last low whispers of our dead Are burdened with his name. O Lord and Master of us all ! Whate'er our name or sign. We own thy sway, we hear thy call. We test our lives by thine. Tune — " Albano." J29-OUR FRIEND, OUR BROTHER, AND OUR LORD. OUR Friend, our Brother, and our Lord, What may thy service be ? Nor name, nor form, nor ritual word, But simply following thee. Thy litanies, sweet offices Of love and gratitude ; Thy sacramental liturgies The joy of doing good. 228 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. The heart must ring thy Christmas bells, Thy inward altars raise ; Its faith and hopes thy canticles, And its obedience praise ! To thee our full humanity, Its joys and pains belong; The wrong of man to man on thee Inflicts a deeper wrong. We faintly hear, we dimly see, In differing phrase we pray; But, dim or clear, we own thee The Light, the Truth, the Way ! Apart from thee all gain is loss, All labour vainly done ; The solemn shadow of thy cross Is better than the sun. Alone, O Love ineffable ! Thy saving name is given ; To turn aside from thee is hell, To walk with thee is heaven. Tune — "St. Hugh." In reply to an enquiry as to what hymns had helped her and her fellow-workers in the struggle which they carried on for a quarter of a century against the criminal system of state-patronised vice, Mrs. Josephine Butler replied : " Strange to say, I find it very difficult to select any special hymn which helped me in my soul or in my work. Psalms have been above all else ' Songs in the house of my pilgrimage,' but Whittier's ' Our Master ' was most helpful to me in connection with the wide circle of persons of different countries, creeds, and characters with whom I have been sent to work — dear souls — to whom I am united in the common aim of seeking after righteousness, but some of whom seemed of the narrowly orthodox, to be very unsatisfactory on OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES August 29, iSog Born at Cambridge, Ma Died, October 7, 1894 Grant us Thy truth to make us fiee, And kindly hearts that burn for Thee. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 229 the religious side. God has given me a wider outlook, and a far greater charity based on an increasing admira- tion of all good. This hymn of Whittier will explain what I mean, and show you where my tempest-tossed bark has found a haven in calm waters." 130 -LORD OF ALL BEING, THRONED AFAR. Oliver Wendell Holmes, the Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, was a Unitarian. He published this as a Sunday hymn on the last page of the " Professor of the Breakfast Table." It was speedily exploited as a hymn by the Methodists. LORD of all being, throned afar, Thy glory flames from sun and star ; Centre and soul of every sphere, Yet to each loving heart how near. Sun of our life, thy quickening ray Sheds on our path the glow of day ; Star of our hope, thy softened light Cheers the long watches of the night. Our midnight is thy smile withdrawn ; Our noontide is thy gracious dawn ; Our rainbow arch, thy mercy's sign ; All, save the clouds of sin, are thine. Lord of all life, below, above, Whose light is truth, whose warmth is love, Before thy ever-blazing throne We ask no lustre of our own. Grant us thy truth to make us free, And kindly hearts that burn for thee, Till all thy living altars claim One holy light, one heavenly flame. Tune — " Marvton." 230 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED- J3t— SOULS OF MENl WHY WILL YE SCATTER. This contribution to the universal catholic section of my collection is from Faber, the Roman Catholic. It expresses a breadth of Christian charity not often found in men of his communion. SOULS of men ! why will ye scatter Like a crowd of frightened sheep ? Foolish hearts ! why will ye wander From a love so true and deep ? Was there ever kinder shepherd Half so gentle, half so sweet, As the Saviour Who would have us Come and gather round His feet? There 's a wideness in God's mercy, Like the wideness of the sea •, There 's a kindness in His justice, Which is more than liberty. There is no place where earth's sorrows Are more felt than up in Heaven ; There is no place where earth's failings Have such kindly judgment given. There is plentiful redemption In the Blood that has been shed ; There is joy for all the members In the sorrows of the Head. For the love of God is broader Than the measures of man's mind ; And the Heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 23 1 Pining souls ! come nearer Jesus, And oh ! come not doubting thus, But with faith that trusts more bravely His huge tenderness for us. If our love were but more simple, We should take Him at his word ; And our Hves would be all sunshine In the sweetness of our Lord. Amen. Tune — "Clarion." J32-WHAT I LIVE FOR. This poem, by the late Mr. G. Linnaeus Banks, has been sent me by Mr. Mayer, of the Children's Home, Bolton, as one which is morally and spiritually helpful to the people. I LIVE for those who love me, Whose hearts are kind and true, For the heaven that smiles above me, And awaits my spirit too ; For all human ties that bind me. For the task by God assigned me. For the bright hopes yet to find me, And the good that I can do. I live to learn their story Who suffered for my sake ; To emulate their glory. And follow in their wake — Bards, patriots, martyrs, sages, The heroic of all ages. Whose deeds crowd history's pages, And Time's great volume make. I live to hold communion With all that is divine, 232 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. To feel there is a union 'Twixt Nature's heart and mine; To profit by affliction, Reap truth from fields of fiction, Grow wiser from conviction, And fulfil God's grand design. I live to hail that season, By gifted ones foretold. When men shall live by reason, And not alone by gold ; When man to man united. And every wrong thing righted, The whole world shall be lighted As Eden was of old. I live for those who love me. For those who know me true, For the heaven that smiles above me, And awaits my spirit too ; For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance. And the good that I can do. J33-THE SPAQOUS FIRMAMENT ON HIGH. Addison's paraphrase of the Nineteenth Psalm is a brief and popular compendium of natural theology. The psalm was one of the favourites of St. Augustine. THE spacious firmament on high. With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, — a shining frame, — Their great Original proclaim. JOSEPH ADDISON Born at >'i'.ston, Wi'ts, May i. 1672 Died in Holand House, London, Ji,ne 17, 1719 " The unwearied sun, from day to day, Doth his Creator's power display, And pubUshes to every land T'e vor'; ' f f. 1 ," ' "i ' f 1 -. '' " HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 233 The unwearied sun, from day to day, Doth his Creator's power display, And publishes to every land The work of an Almighty hand. Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale. And, nightly, to the listening earth, Repeats the story of her birth : Whilst all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn, Confirm the tidings as they roll, And spread the truth from pole to pole. What though, in solemn silence all Move round this dark terrestrial ball ; What though no real voice nor sound Amidst their radiant orbs be found ; In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice ; For ever singing as they shine — The hand that made us is Divine. Tune — " Fulda." " When only a youngster at school," writes a corre- spondent in the Isle of Man, " Addison's hymn had •nore attraction for me than a story in the 'Arabian .lights.' " This is, perhaps, putting it rather strongly ; but, when a boy myself, I remember well committing it to memory, and the pleasure which it afforded me, — pleasure which, curiously enough, is linked by associa- tion with the effect produced by the first time I read a translation of Hesiod. Another correspondent says that " at eight this hymn first taught me what poetry meant." 234 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. XVI. — And All Ye are Brethren. J34— A JEWISH HYMN THAT HELPED. This collection of Hymns that have Helped would be incomplete without, at least, one specimen of a Jewish hymn, and one or two which have helped thousands in the Roman Communion. I asked Mr. M. H. Spielmann, editor of the Magazitie of Art, to help me to the most helpful Jewish hymn. He replied as follows : — " Jews have no ' hymns,' properly so-called, though they have many poems of a hymnal sort, taking chiefly the form of praise. For myself, I may say that the • Adown Olam ' was to me the most helpful as a child and youth, and was the point de depart, and the base of all my subsequent reading, theological or philosophical. It is not merely a profession of faith, it is the complete exposition of the Jewish religion, and the supremest expression of comfort and consolation, so far as I am aware, in all our book of prayer." The Rev. F. L. Cohen, joint editor of the Book oj Synagogue Music, has kindly sent me a translation of the " Adon 'Olam," the text of which is as follows : — Ad6n 'OLAM. THE Universal Master reigned Ere yet created things took shape ; His might proclaimed Him King of all When He to all existence gave ; And after all shall pass away, 'T is He alone shall grandly reign, Who was, and is, and still shall be : His glories all our worship have. For He is One, no other power Compares with Him, with Him consorts ; HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 235 Without beginning, free from end, Above what splendour men may crave. [Without corporeality, From change and variation free. As unconjoined as undetached, Alone in matchless power to save.] He is my God, my Saviour lives, My Rock in travail's time of woe; My Banner and my Refuge He, My Draught of Life when help I crave. Into His hand my soul I trust, Both when I sleep and when I wake ; And with my soul my body too : God is with me, no fears enslave. F. L. C. N.B. — The verse in brackets above is usually omitted. Speaking of this, Mr. Cohen says: "It is almost a literal translation, and reproduces the rhythm and the rhyme of the original Hebrew. " We have a number of Table-Hymns {Zemiroik) chanted on the Sabbath before Grace. Of these, Psalm cxxvi. (we sing the Psalms in Hebrew, of course) and No. 10 ' Sabbath Rest ' in the publication of mine I enclose (p. 25) have proved very precious helps to many of us. Much help, too, has been derived from the hymn Ma'dz Tsta-, for Hamicah (the anniversary of the Maccabean Dedication), a copy of my English version of which (again closely reproducing the rhythm and rhyme of the Hebrew) I give on the back of ' Adon '01am.' " J35.-AVE MARIA. As many Protestants have never read the prayer which is said and sung all over Roman Christendom, I quote it here together with one of the best-known hymns to the Virgin : — 236 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. HAIL, Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with Thee : blessed art Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. AVE, Maria, gratia plena ; Dominus tecum ; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostras. Amen. J36.-AVE MARIS STELLA. This is probably the oldest, — it dates from the ninth century, — best-known, most-used, and therefore, most helpful of all the hymns to the Mother of Jesus, which edify the Roman, and scandalise the Protestant, who forgets that if the spirit of the prayer or hymn be in- stinct with love, there are resources in the Chancery of Heaven for re-addressing petitions that may have been Wrongly directed by mistake. HAIL, bright Star of ocean, God's own Mother blest, Ever-sinless Virgin, Gate of heavenly rest ; Taking that sweet Ave Which from Gabriel came, Peace confirm within us, Changing Eva's name. Break the captive's fetters ; Light on blindness pour; All our ills expelling. Every bliss implore. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 237 Show thyself a mother ; May the Word Divine, Born for us thine Infant, Hear our prayers through thine. Virgin all excelling, Alildest of the mild, Freed from guilt, preserve us Meek and undefiled ; Keep our life all spotless, Make our way secure, Till we find in Jesus Joy for evermore. Through the highest Heaven To the Almighty Three, Father, Son, and Spirit, One same glory be. AVE maris stella, Dei Mater alma, Atque semper virgo, Felix coeli porta. Sumens illud Ave, Gabrielis ore, Funda nos in pace, Mutans Hevse nomen. Solve vincla reis, Profer lumen caecis, Mala nostra pelle. Bona cuncta posce. Monstra te esse matrem Sumat per te preces, Qui pro nobis natus, Tulit esse tuus. 238 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Virgo singularis, Inter omnes mitis, Nos culpis solutos, Mites fac et castos. Vitam prassta puram Iter para tutum, Ut videntes Jesum, Semper collstemur. Sit laus Deo Patri Summo Christo decus, Spiritui Sancto, Tribus honor vmus. J37— FAITH OF OUR FATHERS. The following Roman Catholic hymn is a kind of de- fiant war-song, the note of which endears it much to the faithful. (The words in Italics apply to Ireland, and may be substituted for the text below when fitting.) FAITH of our Fathers ! living still, In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword : ^^' {ioi''"fur } hea'-ts beat high with joy Whene'er j ' g*' I hear that glorious word : Faith of our Fathers ! Holy Faith ! We will be true to thee till death. Our Fathers, chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart and conscience free ; How sweet would be their children's fate, If they, like them, could die for thee ! Faith of our Fathers, etc. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 239 Faith of our Fathers ! Mary's prayers ( Shall keep our country fast to thee j \ \ Shall win our country back to thee ; \ And through the truth that comes from God, 5 Oh, we shall prosper and be free. \ \ England shall then indeed be free. ) Faith of our Fathers, etc. Faith of our Fathers ! we will love Both friend and foe in all our strife : And preach thee too, as love knows how, By kindly words and virtuous life. Faith of our Fathers, etc. Tune — "Swiss Air." This hymn, with the change of a word or two in the third verse, is used by the American Unitarians as a metrical embodiment of their history and aspirations. J38 -ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE. This is one of Sir Evelyn Wood's favourites. It was written by the late William Whiting, choirmaster of Winchester College, and is much used at sea ; and, when the wind blows hard, by those on land. ETERNAL Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave, Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep : Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea. O Christ, Whose voice the waters heard And hush'd their raging at Thy word, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, And calm amid the storm didst sleep j 240 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea. O Holy Spirit, Who didst brood Upon the waters dark and rude, And bid their angry tumult cease, And give, for wild confusion, peace : Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee For those in peril on the sea. O Trinity of love and power. Our brethren shield in danger's hour ; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe'er they go ; Thus evermore shall rise to Thee Glad hymns of praise, from land and sea. Amen. Tune — " Melita." J39. — THE LORiyS SUPPER. George Rawson wrote this Communion hymn for the Baptists in 1857. It has been appropriated extensively by other denominations, whose use of it is the best tes- timony to its helpfulness. BY Christ redeemed, in Christ restored. We keep the memory adored And show the death of our dear Lord, Until He come. His body broken in our stead Is here, in this memorial bread, And so our feeble love is fed, Until He come. The drops of His dread agony, His life-blood shed for us, we see ; The wine shall tell the mystery. Until He come. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 24 1 And thus that dark betrayal night With the last advent we unite, By one blest chain of loving rite, Until He come. Until the trump of God be heard, Until the ancient graves be stirred, And with the great commanding word The Lord shall come. O blessed hope ! with this elate, Let not our hearts be desolate, But, strong in faith, in patience wait, Until He come. Tune — " Somercotes." J40— A FEW MORE YEARS SHALL ROLL. A HYMN of Dr. Bonar's, written in 1842, forty years before his death. A FEW more years shall roll, A few more seasons come. And we shall be with those that rest, Asleep within the tomb ; Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day ; Oh, wash me in Thy precious Blood, And take my sins away. A few more suns shall set O'er these dark hills of time. And we shall be where suns are not, A far serener clime : Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that bright day ; Oh, wash me in Thy precious Blood, And take my sins away. 16 242 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. A few more storms shall beat On this wild rocky shore, And we shall be where tempests cease, And surges swell no more : Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that calm day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious Blood, And take my sins away. A few more struggles here, A few more partings o'er, A few more toils, a few more tears, And we shall weep no more : Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that blest day ; Oh, wash me in Thy precious Blood, And take my sins away. 'T is but a little while And He shall come again, Who died that we might live, Who lives That we with Him may reign: Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that glad day ; Oh, wash me in Thy precious Blood, And take my sins away. Amen. Tune — "Leominster" or "Chalvey." J4J-WE PLOUGH THE FIELDS AND SCATTER. Claudius's "Wir pfliigen und wir streuen" was first published in German in 1782. It is used both in Ger- many and in England as a harvest hymn. I give Miss T. M. Campbell's English version. w E plough the fields and scatter The good seed on the land. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 243 But it is fed and water'd By God's Almighty Harxd ; He sends the snow in winter, Tlie warmth to swell the grain, The breezes and the sunshine, And soft refreshing rain. All good gifts around us Are sent from Heav'n above, Then thank the Lord, Oh, thank the Lord, For all His love. He onlv is the Maker Of all things near and far; He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star; The winds and waves obey Him, By Him the birds are fed ; Much more to us, His children. He gives our daily bread. All good gifts around us Are sent from Heav'n above, Then thank the Lord, Oh, thank the Lord, For all His love. We thank Thee then, O Father, For all things bright and good. The seed-time and the harvest. Our life, our health, our food; Accept the gifts we offer For all Thy love imparts, And, what Thou most desirest, Our humble, thankful hearts. All good gifts around us Are sent from Heav'n above, Then thank the Lord, Oh, thank the Lord, For all His love. Amen. Tune — The well-known one by J. A. P. Schulz. 244 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. XVn.- Death, J42 — COME, LET US JOIN OUR FRIENDS ABOVE. The Bishop of Hereford writes me that he thinks the fourth verse " one of the finest in the whole range of hymnology." It is the favourite Wesleyan funeral hymn. The author of " Methodist Hymn-Book Notes " used several pages in describing the affecting and happy incidents in connection with the use of this hymn, and says he suppresses many other pages for want of space. COME, let us join our friends above Who have obtained the prize, And, on the eagle-wings of love, To joys celestial rise. Let all the saints terrestrial sing, With those to glory gone ; For all the servants of our King, On earth and heaven, are one. One family we dwell in Him, — One church, above, beneath; Though now divided by the stream, The narrow stream of death. One army of the living God, To His command we bow; Part of His host have crossed the flood, And part are crossing now. Ten thousand to their endless home This solemn moment fly : And we are to the margin come, And we expect to die. HVMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 245 E'en now by faith we join our hands With those that went before : And greet the blood-besprinlcled bands On the eternal shore. Our spirits too shall quickly join, Like theirs with glory crowned, And shout to see our Captain's sign, To hear His trumpet sound. Be Thou, O God, our constant guide, And when the word is given. Then, Lord of Hosts, the waves divide, And land us all in heaven. Tune — " Gretton." 143 — GIVE ME THE WINGS OF FAITH TO RISE. This favourite hymn of Watts was published in 1709, and it has been in general use among all sections of the Church for a century. GIVE me the wings of faith to rise Within the veil, and see The saints above, how great their joys ! How bright their glories be ! Once they were mourning here below And wet their couch with tears ; They wrestled hard, as we do now. With sins and doubts and fears. I ask them whence their victory came? They, with united breath, Ascribe their conquest to the Lamb, Their triumph to His death. 246 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. They marked the footsteps that He trod, His zeal inspired their breast ; And, following their Incarnate God, Possess the promised rest. Our glorious Leader claims our praise For His own pattern given, While the long cloud of witnesses Shows the same path to heaven. Tune—" Mylon." 144 -HEAR WHAT THE VOICE OF HEAVEN PROCLAIMS. This hymn, also by Watts, is much used at burials. HEAR what the voice from heaven proclaims For all the pious dead : Sweet is the savour of their names, And soft their sleeping bed. They die in Jesus and are blest ; How kind their slumbers are ! From sufferings and from sins released And freed from every snare. Far from this world of toil and strife, They 're present with the Lord ; The labours of their mortal life End in a large reward. Tune — " Beatitudo." 145 -HOW BLEST THE RIGHTEOUS WHEN HE DIES. This hymn by Mrs. Barbauld is quoted by Thomas Carlyle when describing the death of Oliver Cromwell. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 247 HOW blest the righteous when he dies ! When sinks a weary soul to rest, How mildly beam the closing eyes, How gently heaves the expiring breast I So fades a summer cloud away : So sinks the gale when storms are o'er: So gently shuts the eye of day; So dies a wave along the shore. A holy quiet reigns around, A calm which life nor death destroys : Nothing disturbs that peace profound, Which his unfettered soul enjoys. Farewell, conflicting hopes and fears, Where lights and shades alternate dwell ! How bright the unchanging morn appears ! Farewell, inconstant world, farewell ! Life's labour done, as sinks the clay, Light from its load the spirit flies ; While heaven and earth combine to say, How blest the righteous when he dies ! Tune — " Cuyler." Mrs. Barbauld is perhaps even better known by her lines on Life, written when she was over seventy : — " Life ! we 've been long together. Through pleasant and through cloudy weather. 'T is hard to part when friends are dear — Perhaps 't will cost a sigh, a tear ; — Then steal away; give little warning, Choose thine own time ; Say not Good-night, — but in some brighter clime, Bid me Good-morning ! " 248 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. J46— SLEEP ON, BELOVED. This funeral hymn, which has attained even greater vogue in America than in this country, is by Miss Sarah Doudney. It was the hymn sung at Mr. Spurgeon's funeral. SLEEP on, beloved, sleep, and take thy rest; Lay down thy head upon thy Saviour's breast : We love thee v/ell ; but Jesus loves thee best — Good-night ! Good-night ! Good-night ! Calm is thy slumber as an infant's sleep ; But thou shalt wake no more to toil and weep : Thine is a perfect rest, secure and deep — Good-night ! Until the shadows from this earth are cast; Until He gathers in His sheaves at last; Until the twilight gloom is overpast — Good-night ! Until the Easter glory lights the skies ; Until the dead in Jesus shall arise, And He shall come, but not in lowly guise — Good-night ! Until made beautiful by Love Divine, Thou, in the likeness of Thy Lord shalt shine, And He shall bring that golden crown of thine — Good-night ! Only " good-night," beloved — not " farewell ! " A little while, and all His saints shall dwell In hallowed union, indivisible — Good-night ! HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 249 Until we meet again before His throne, Clothed in the spotless robe He gives His own, Until we know even as we are known — Good-night ! Tune — Mr. Sankey's. J47-NOW THE LABOURER'S TASK IS O'ER. This hymn is one of the favourites of Her Majesty the Queen, and is frequently selected by her to be sung at the funerals of members of her family. It was written by the Rev. J. Ellerton, and first published by the Soci- ety for Promoting Christian Knowledge, in " Church Hymns," 1S71. NOW the labourer's task is o'er, Now the battle day is past; Now upon the farther shore Lands the voyager at last. Father, in Thy gracious keeping Leave we now Thy servant sleeping. There the tears of earth are dried ; There its hidden things are clear ; There the work of life is tried By a Juster Judge than here. Father, in Thy gracious keeping Leave we now Thy servant sleeping. There the sinful souls, that turn To the Cross their dying eyes, All the love of Christ shall learn At His Feet in Paradise. Father, in Thy gracious keeping Leave we now Thy servant sleeping. 250 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. There no more the powers of hell Can prevail to mar their peace; Christ the Lord shall guard them well, He who died for their release. Father, in Thy gracious keeping Leave we now Thy servant sleeping. " Earth to earth, and dust to dust," Calmly now the words we say, Left behind we wait in trust For the Resurrection-day. Father, in Thy gracious keeping Leave we now Thy servant sleeping. Amen. Tune — " Requiescat." 143 — I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP. FOUND UNDER THE PILLOW OF A SOLDIER, WHO DIED IN A HOSPITAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE AMERICAN WAR. I LAY me down to sleep, With little thought or care, Whether my waking find Me here or there. A bowing, burdened head, That only asks to rest Unquestioning upon A loving breast. My good right hand forgets Its cunning now, To march the weary march I know not how. I am not eager, bold. Nor strong — all that is past : HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 2$ I I am ready not to do, At last, at last. My half-day's work is done, And this is all my part ; I give a patient God My patient heart. And grasp His banner still Though all its blue be dim, These stripes no less than stars Lead after Him. XVm. —Heaven. 149 -JERUSALEM, MY HAPPY HOME. The famous song made by F. B. P. at the end of the sixteenth century begins : — Hierusalem, my happy home ; When shall I come to thee: When shall my sorrowes have an end, Thy ioys when shall I see. There are twenty-six verses, some of them very quaint. The most popular modern version " given in the text " is believed to be by Montgomery. JERUSALEM, my happy home; J Name ever dear to me : When shall my labours have an end In joy and peace and thee ! When shall these eyes thy heaven-built walls And pearly gates behold, Thy bulwarks with salvation strong, And streets of shining gold? 252 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. There happier bowers than Eden's bloom, Nor sin, nor sorrow know ; Blest seats, through rude and stormy scenes, I onward press to you. Why should I shrink from pain and woe, Or feel at death dismay ? I 've Canaan's goodly land in view, And realms of endless day. Apostles, martyrs, prophets there, Around my Saviour stand ; And soon my friends in Christ below Will join the glorious band. Jerusalem, my happy home, My soul still pants for thee: Then shall my labours have an end. When I thy joys shall see. Tune — " Southwell " or " Beulah." J50- THERE IS A LAND OF PURE DELIGHT. Whether Watts wrote this at Southampton, inspired by a view of the Isle of Wight or of the New Forest, is uncertain. But whatever the scene that suggested these familiar stanzas, they have helped myriads to cross with steadier nerve the swelling flood, on the brink of which we shivering stand and fear to launch away. THERE is a land of pure delight. Where saints immortal reign ; Infinite day excludes the night. And pleasures banish pain. There everlasting spring abides And never-withering flowers; Death, like a narrow sea, divides This heavenly land from ours. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 253 Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood Stand dressed in living green ; So to the Jews old Canaan stood, While Jordan rolled between. But timorous mortals start and shrink To cross this narrow sea, And linger, shivering on the brink, And fear to launch away. Oh, could we make our doubts remove, Those gloomy doubts that rise : And see the Canaan that we love With unbeclouded eyes : Could we but climb where Moses stood. And view the landscape o'er, Not Jordan's stream, nor death's cold flood. Should fright us from the shore. Tune — "Beulah." BERNARD OF CLUNY^S "SWEET AND BLESSED COUNTRY/' Out of three thousand lines of a satire written by Ber- nard, a monk of Chiny, in the twelfth century, Dr. Neale has extracted three hymns, which, in his free transla- tion, have become extremely popular. It is significant of the difference between the centuries that the twelfth- century satirist is overwhelmed by the awe of heaven and the horror of hell, whereas his nineteenth-century adapter sings exultantly of heaven alone. J5 J -BRIEF LIFE IS HERE OUR PORTION. BRIEF life is here our portion. Brief sorrow, short-Hved care : The life that knows no ending, The tearless life, is there. 254 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. O happy retribution ! Short toil, eternal rest ; For mortals and for sinners A mansion with the blest ! There grief is turned to pleasure, Such pleasure, as below No human voice can utter. No human heart can know. And now we fight the battle, But then shall wear the crown Of full and everlasting And passionless renown. And now we watch and struggle, And now we live in hope. And Sion, in her anguish. With Babylon must cope. But He whom now we trust in Shall then be seen and known. And they that know and see Him Shall have Him for their own. The morning shall awaken, The shadows shall decay, And each true-hearted servant Shall shine as doth the day : Yes ; God, our King and Portion, In fulness of His grace. We then shall see for ever, And worship face to face. O sweet and blessed country^ The home of God's elect! O sweet and blessM country That eager hearts expect I HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 255 Jesus, in mercy bring us To thai dear land of rest j Who art, with God the Father, And spirit, ever blest. Tune — "St. Alphege," J52-FOR THEE, O DEAR, DEAR COUNTRY. FOR thee, O dear, dear country! Mine eyes their vigils keep; For very love beholding Thy happy name, they weep : The mention of thy glory Is unction to the breast, And medicine in sickness, And love, and life, and rest. O one, O only mansion ! O Paradise of joy ! Where tears are ever banished, And smiles have no alloy. With jaspers glow thy bulwarks, Thy streets with emeralds blaze; The sardius and the topaz Unite in thee their rays. Thine ageless walls are bonded With amethyst unpriced ; The saints build up its fabric, And the corner-stone is Christ. The cross is all thy splendour, The Crucified thy praise; His laud and benediction Thy ransomed people raise. 256 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Thou hast no shore, fair ocean ! Thou hast no time, bright day! Dear fountain of refreshment, To pilgrims far away ! Upon the Rock of Ages They raise thy holy tower ; Thine is the victor's laurel, And thine the golden dower. O sweet and blessed country. The home of God''s elect / O sweet and blessM country. That eager hearts expect I Jesus, in jnet'cy bring us To that dear land of rest ; Who a?-t, with God the Father, And Spirit, ever blest. Tune— "Jenner. J53 -JERUSALEM THE GOLDEN. JERUSALEM the golden, J With milk and honey blest, Beneath thy contemplation Sink heart and voice opprest. I know not, Oh, I know not. What joys await us there ; What radiancy of glory, What light beyond compare ! They stand, those halls of Sion, All jubilant with song, And bright with many an angel, And all the martyr throng. The Prince is ever in them ; The daylight is serene ; The pastures of the blessM Are decked in glorious sheen. HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. 257 There is the throne of David ; And there, from care released, The shout of them that triumph, The song of them that feast; And they who, with their Leader, Have conquered in the fight, For ever and for ever Are clad in robes of white. O sweet and blessed cotmiry. The home of God''s elect! O sweet and blessM country. That eager hearts expect I Jesus, in Jiiercy bring us To that dear land of rest j Who art, with God the Father, And spirit, ever blest. Tune — "EwiNG." J54-NEAR US STANDING HERE FORGETFUL. When the miners were imprisoned in Pontypridd mine, expecting never again to see the light of day, they sang the following verse of a hymn well known in Wales : IN the waves and mighty waters No one will support my head. But my Saviour, my Beloved, Who was stricken in my stead : In the flood of death's dark river He will hold my head above ; I shall through the waves go singing For one look of Him I love. Y N y dyfroedd mawr a'r tonau Nid oes neb a ddeil fy mhen 17 258 HYMNS THAT HAVE HELPED. Ond fy anwyl Briod lesu A fu farw ar y pren Cyfaill yw yn afon angeu Ddeil fy mhen yn uwch na'r don Golwg arno wna i mi ganu Yn yr afon ddofn hon. I asked Mr. Burt if he could tell me what hymns had been sung by North-country miners in similar circum- stances, but he did not know. APPENDICES. APPENDIX L SOME LETTERS FROM WORKING-MEN. One of the difficulties which I have had to contend with has been the multitude of letters received from unknown corre- spondents, who have kindly responded to my appeal, and certify that this, that, or the other hymn marked an epoch in their life. It is quite impossible for me to quote from all, or even from many of those letters, neither can I by any possibility print all the hymns which have thus received the hall-mark of personal helpfulness, but one or two extracts may be made, chiefly from those upon whom the burden of life rests some- what heavily, Thomas Martin, a Darlington engineer, writing as one of the "Sons of Toil," says : — " We, sir, have our helps as well as those above us. I can assure you that the sweet songs of the sanctuary of the soul have given us weary ones many a solace and a lift ; and amidst the jarring and wrangling of the sectarians over their creeds and dogmas, how sweet is that inspired hymn No. 169 in Dr. Martineau's collection of 'Hymns of Praise and Prayer,' commencing thus — Spirit of Truth, be Thou my Guide, O clasp my hand in Thine. And let me never quit Thy side, Thy comforts are divine. Pride scorns Thee for Thy lowly mien ; But who like Thee can rise Above this toilsome sordid scene, Beyond the holy skies. Weak is Thine eye, and soft Thy voice ; But wondrous is Thy might To make the wretched soul rejoice, And give the simple light. I can assure you, sir, that we have our consolations and help from such-like hymns ; and many more." 26o APPENDIX I. Another working-man sends me a letter expressing his earnest hope that, whatever else is left out, I will take care to include No. 28 in Sankey's hymn-book ; the hymn beginning, " I left it all with Jesus, long ago." Speaking of his own experience, he says he passed through a period of much tribu- lation, seeking peace and finding none : — " I thought I had done my best, but still that was unsatis- factory. Something always seemed to be kept back ; some- thing that ought to have come out and did not, or rather, perhaps I should say that was not fully understood by the one to whom it was told. I had no doubt of my wish to repent, no doubt of my willingness to make every reparation in my power, but still peace would not come, At last I took it all straight to Jesus, and the burden rolled away from my heart. That is why I love No. 28 of Sankey's collection of Sacred Songs and Solos." Hymns often act in this fashion. They cling to the memory, and by supplying the right word at the right time, act as the " open sesame " to the treasure which had been long and vainly sought. An adult class at a friend's school at Darlington, being asked to say which hymns had helped them most, named, " I know not what awaits me," with the chorus, " Where He may lead, I'll follow" as the first favourite; the second, "When our heads are bowed with woe ; " the third, " In the secret of His presence, hangs my soul's dehght ; " the fourth, "Oh, safe to the Rock that is higher than I." A mechanic of Oldham tells how — when work was slack and hands were being dismissed, and no one knew whose turn it would be next — he was mightily sustained by a verse in Cowper's hymn, " Sometimes a light surprises." The verse which did him good, and seemed to him a message from God, was this, after the verse ending, " E'en let the unknown to- morrow bring with it what it may " : — It can bring with it nothing. But He will bear us through ; Who gives the lilies clothing Will clothe His people too. Beneath the spreading heavens, No creature but is fed ; And He who feeds the ravens WUl give His children bread. Many a time that verse has cheered him and given him good heart to face the worst in the gloomiest of bad times. APPENDIX I. 261 I have said that from the uttermost parts of the earth I have received communications, and there are few places more out of the way than the Chatham Islands, although this year they have been favoured with a bi-monthly postal service. My correspondent, who uses the 110m de phone " Tabitha," says that her husband well remembers when nine months elapsed before they heard from the outer world. Once a year a man- of-war anchors for a few days off the island, but the islanders, for the most part, live secluded from the outer world, weaving their own wool, supplying their own needs in primitive patriarchal fashion. My correspondent quotes, as the two verses which have helped her, the following : — And when I'm to die, " Receive me," I'll cry. For Jesus has loved me, I cannot tell why. But this do I find, _ That we two are joined, That He'll not be in glory, And leave me behind. There are many hymns which have played no small part in the lives of men, which, however, I cannot include in this collection. Take, for instance, the hymn, " How bright these glorious spirits shine." In the life of Duncan Matheson, Scottish Evangelist, we read that on the first Sabbath after he arrived at Balaclava, he and one or more of the 93rd Highlanders retired to a ravine, read, prayed, and sang the battle-song of David and Luther, " God is our refuge and our strength ; " and on page 70 to 71 we read : One night, weary and sad, returning from Sebastopol to the old stable at Balaclava where he lodged, his strength gone, sickened with the sights he had seen, depressed by the thought that the siege seemed no nearer an end, so, trudging along in mud knee-deep, he looked up and noticed the stars shining calmly in the clear sky ; instinctively his weary heart mounted heavenward, thinking of " the rest that remaineth for the people of God," he began to sing aloud, — How bright these glorious spirits shine. Next day, though wet and stormy, he went out and came upon a soldier in rags, standing under an old verandah for shelter ; his naked toes were showing through worn-out boots. Matheson, speaking words of encouragement, gave him half-a-sovereign to purchase shoes. The soldier thanked him, and said : " I 262 APPENDIX II. am not what I was yesterday. Last night, as I was thinking of our miserable condition, I grew tired of life, and said to my- self ... I can bear this no longer, and may as well put an end to it. So I took my musket and went down yonder in a desperate state, about eleven o'clock ; but as I got round the point, I heard some person singing ' How bright these glorious spirits shine ; ' and I remembered the old tune and the Sabbath- school where we used to sing it. I felt ashamed of being so cowardly, and said : Here is someone as badly off as myself, and yet he is not giving in. I felt, too, he had something to make him happy which I had not, but I began to hope I too might get the same happiness. I returned to my tent, and to- day I am resolved to seek the one thing. ^^ " Do you know who the singer was? " asked the missionary. " No," was the reply. " Well," said the other, " It was I." Tears rushed into the soldier's eyes, and handing back the half-sovereign, he said: " Never, sir, can I take it from you after what you have been the means of doing for me." APPENDIX n. A LIST OF A BEST HUNDRED HYMNS. Early in 1887 the Editors of The Sunday at Home invited their readers to send lists of the Hundred English Hymns which stood highest in their esteem. Nearly three thousand five hun- dred persons responded to the invitation ; and by the majority of votes the following hundred were selected. The first on the list, " Rock of Ages," received 3,215 votes ; the last, "Sometimes a light surprises," 866. It was only to be expected that the former hymn would prove the most popular of all ; but the three next to it each received about 3,000 votes, — "Abide with me," "Jesu, Lover of my soul," and "Just as I am." HYMN. AUTHOR. 1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me Toplady. 2. Abide with me ; fast falls the eventide . Lyte. 3. Jesu I Lover of my soul C. Wesley. 4. Just as I am, without one plea . . . . C.Elliott. 5. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds . J. Newton. 6. My God and Father, while I stray . . C. Elliott. 7. Nearer, my God, to Thee Mrs. A dams. 8. Sun of my soul. Thou Saviour dear . . Keble. 9. I heard the voice of Jesus say . . . . H. Bonar. APPENDIX II. 263 HYMN. AUTHOR. 10. Art thou weary, art thou languid ? . Stephen the Sabaiie. 11. For ever with the Lord Jas. Montgomery. 12. God moves in a mysterious way . . Cowper. 13. From Greenland's icy mountains . . R. Heber. 14. When I sur\'ey the wondrous cross . Watts. 15. Lead, kindly Light, amid the encirchng gloom Netvntatt. 16. Hark ! the herald angels sing . . . C. Wesley. 17. All praise to Thee, my God, this night T. Ken. 18. A few more years shall roll .... H.Bonar. ig. O God, our help in ages past . . . Watts. 20. Our blest Redeemer, ere He breathed Harriet Atiber. 21. All hail the power of Jesu's name . E. Perronet. 22. Eternal Father ! strong to save . . W. Whiting. 23. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty Heber. 24. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah . W. Williams. 25. There is a fountain filled with blood . Cowper. 26. Lo, He comes with clouds descending C. Wesley. 27. At even, ere the sun was set ... H. Twells. 28. Awake ! my soul, and with the sun . T. Ken. 29. Hark ! my soul, it is the Lord . . . Cowper. 30. All people that on earth do dwell . . W. Kethe. 31. Brief life is here our portion . . . Bernard 0/ Cluny. 32. Jesus shall reign where'er the sun . . Watts. 33. Jesus I the verj- thought of Thee . . Bernard of Clairvaux, 34. Hark ! hark, my soul ; angelic songs are swelling Faber. 35. Jerusalem, my happy home . . . . A7ion. 36. Jerusalem the golden Bernard of Cluny, 37. Oft in danger, oft in woe H. K. White. 38. Come, let us join our cheerful songs . Watts. 39. Thy way, not mine, O Lord . . . . H. Bonar. 40. Father, I know that all my life . . . A. L. Waring. 41. Come, ye thankful people, come . . Alford. 42. Onward, Christian soldiers .... Baring-Gould. 43. I lay my sins on Jesus Bonar. 44. O for a closer walk with God . . . Cowper. 45. O worship the King, all glorious above R. Grant, 46. Brightest and best of the sons of the morning R. Heber. 47. As pants the hart for cooling streams . Tate and Brady, 48. Sweet Saviour ! bless us ere we go . Faber. 49. Hail to the Lord's Anointed .... Montgomery. 50. Pleasant are Thy courts above . . . Lyte. 51. Great God ! what do I see and hear? Ringwaldt. 52. There is a land of pure delight . . . Watts. 53. O timely happy, timely wise . , . , J. Keble. 54. Christians, awake : salute the happy morn yohn Byrom. 264 APPENDIX II. HYMN. AUTHOR. Prayer is the soul's sincere delight Jas. Montgomery. Saviour, again to Thy dear name we raise J. Ellerton. The Church's one foundation . . , S. J. Stone. Soldiers of Christ, arise ..... C Wesley. Weary of earth and laden with my sin Rev. S. J. Stone, Christian, seek not yet repose . . . C. Elliott. O Day cf rest and gladness . . . . C. Wordsworth. Christ the Lord is risen to-day . . . C. Wesley. Paradise ! O Paradise F. W. Faber. 1 need Thee, precious Jesus . , . . F. Whitfield. Safe in the arms of Jesus Mrs. Van Alstyne. O for a heart to praise my God • • . C. Wesley, Hark ! the glad sound! the Saviour comes Doddridge. Come unto Me, ye weary .... W. C. Dix. My faith looks up to Thee .... Ray Palmer. There is a green hill far away . . . Mrs. Alexander. Before Jehovah's awful throne . Watts. Jesus, I have promised • • . . J. E. Bode. The Son of God goes forth to war . R. Heber. Not all the blood of beasts .... Watts. 1 was a wandering sheep H . Bonar. O God of Bethel, by Whose hand . . Doddride^e. Peace, perfect peace E. H. Bickersietk, come, all ye faithful, joyful and . . triumphant Anon. The King of Love my Shepherd is . H. W. Baker. Through all the changing scenes of life Tate and Brady. Take my life, and let it be . . . . F. R. Havergal. While shepherds watched their flocks by night Tate. My God, and is Thy table spread . . Doddridge. Jesus Christ is risen to-day .... Anon. 1 could not do without Thee . . . F. R. Havergal. Jesus lives ! no longer now .... C.F.Gilbert. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing . R. Robinson. As with gladness men of old . . . . W. C. Dix. O for a thousand tongues to sing ._ . C. Wesley Saviour ! breathe an evening blessing Jas. Edmeston. Sweet the moments, rich in blessing . Jas. Allen. Let us, with a gladsome mind . . . Milton. O happy band of pilgrims • . • • • Dr. J.M. Neale. Days and moments quickly flying . , E. Casnuall. Jesus calls us o'er the tumult . . . Mrs. Alexander, Glorious things of Thee are spoken . J. Ne^vton. O Lord, how happy should we be . . J. A nstice. Tell me the old, old story .... Mrs. Hankey. Lord, I hear of showers of blessing . Eliz. Codner. Sometimes a light surprises .... Cowper. APPENDIX III. 265 These one hundred hymns were published by the Felirious Tract Society in a threepenny pamphlet now out of print. The above list was sent out together with the appeal for information as to hymns that have helped. Hence in some cases, notably those of Mr. Massingham (of the Daily Chronicle), the Head Master of Marlborough College, and the Bishop of Hereford, the hymns quoted as those which helped them were, in addition to others, contained in the Sunday at Hone list. APPENDIX m. HYMNS AND THOSE WHOM THEY HAVE HELPED. The following is a very rough and imperfect classification which I hope my readers will enable me to improve materially before the next edition. Some correspondents sent in so many h}-mns that had helped them that I could not quote them all. Canon Shuttleworth, for instance, mentioned a hundred, accompanying the list by the following characteristic note : _" I quite expect this list is very different from most. I hate with a holy hatred all sentimentalist maunderings, all feeble religiosities, all diseased raptures or sorrows. To help men, hymns should be manful." I have been compelled in this, and in similar cases, to quote only five or sLx hymns, giving preference to those that are different from most. Mr. Gladstone's favourite hymns may be said to be almost universal favourites, whereas each one, as a rule, has his special hymn, and to these specially helpful hymns I wish to call attention. Her Majesty the Queen. Marriage hymns. Funeral hymns. The Prince of Wales. Nearer, my God, to Thee. The Duke of Argyll. O God of Bethel. Editor of " Daily Telegraph » (Sir E. Arnold). Ken's Evening Hymn. Longfellow's Psalm of Life. Mr. Asquith. Our God, our help in ages past. 266 APPENDIX III. Canon Barker. One sweetly solemn thought comes to me o'er and o'er. I hear Thy welcome voice. Stand up, stand up for Jesus (lovely). I need Thee every hour. I think when I read that sweet story. H. W. Beecher. Jesu, Lover of my soul. Head Master of Marlborough (Mr. Bell). Now thank we all our God. — IVinkiuorik. In the hour of ix\dX. — Montgomery. Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire. — Cosin. And now, O Father, mindful of the love. — Bright. I prais'd the earth in beauty seen. — Heber. And some 20 others. Miss Braddon. Lead, kindly light. Abide with me. Rock of ages. Bishop Ken's evening hymn. John Bright. Our God, our help in ages past. The Duke of Cambridge. Onward, Christian soldiers. MoNCURE D. Conway. Come, O thou traveller unknown. — Wesley. Do not crouch to-day and worship the old past. — Procter. Ring out, wild bells. — Tennyson. S. R. Crockett. 23rd Psalm — The Lord is my Shepherd. 142nd Psalm — I to the hills will lift mine eyes. 103rd Psalm— O thou, my soul, bless God the Lord. 67th Psalm. 145th Psalm. God of Bethel, by whose hand. Oliver Cromwell. 117th Psalm. 68th Psalm — Let God arise, and let His foes be scattered. Dean of Canterbury (F. W. Farrar). Cowper, Keble, Watts, Wesley, Faber, and Montgomery have all helped me. 1 can scarcely ever join in " For ever with the Lord " without tears. Sir H. H. Fowler, M. P. Rock of ages. Jesu, Lover of my soul. Harry Furniss. Fsalm of Life, APPENDIX m. 267 Rev. Charles Garrett, Liverpool, Now I have found the ground whereon. — Rotfie. Saviour, Prince of Israel's race. — Wesley. Souls of men, why will ye scatter. — Faber. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing. — R. Robinson. A safe stronghold our God is still. — Luther. When wilt Thou save the people ? — Elliott. W. Lloyd Garrison. Awake, my soul, stretch every nerve. Ye tribes of Adam far. Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wings. Mr. Gladstone never made a list of his favourite hymns. Lead, kindly light. Rock of ages. Sarah Grand. Calm me, my God, and keep me calm. Call me, dear Saviour, I will wait Thee. Gustavus Adolphus. Battle hymn. Newman Hall. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds. Jesu, Lover of my soul. Rock of ages. Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah. Abide with me. Thomas Hardy. Thou tumest man, O Lord, to dust. — Tate and Brady, Awake, my soul, and with the sun. Lead, kindly light. — Newman. Bishop of Hereford. Saviour, who hast at Thy command. — T. Colvill. Jesu, where'er Thy people meet. — iV. Cowper. Come, let us join our friends above. — C. Wesley. Silas D. Hocking. Strong Son of God. — Tennyson. The Eternal Goodness. — Whiitier. Abide with me. — Lyte. In heavenly love abiding. — Waring. Rev. H. Price Hughes. Jesu, Lover of my soul. A safe stronghold our God is still. Te Deum laudaraus. Come, let us join our cheerful songs. Come, O thou traveller unknown. VV. Johnston, M. P. The Lord's my Shepherd. At even, ere the sun was set. 268 APPENDIX III. RiCHD. Le Gallienne. Lead, kindly light. Peace, perfect peace. Canon Liddon. Our God, our help in ages past (one of the three best). Mrs. Lynn Linton. My God, my Father. Nearer, my God, to Thee. Lead, kindly light. Sir John Lubbock (out of 20 or more hymns). New every morning is the love. While shepherds watched their flocks by night. Jesus Chnst is risen to-day, Alleluia! The Church's one foundation. Hark, hark, my soul 1 angelic songs are swelling. Brief life is here our portion. As pants the hart for cooling streams. 'Tis gone, that bright and orbed blaze. — Keble. Lord, my God, do Thou Thy holy will. — Keblc. Why should we faint and fear to live alone. — Keble. Rev. D. Macrae (Dundee). My God, I thank Thee. — Procter. 1 heard the voice of Jesus say. — Bonar. Sun of my soul. — Keble. One holy Church of God appears, — S. W. Longfellmu. God bless the little children. — Pae^e Hopps. Editor " Daily Chronicle " (H. W. Massingham) (not in order of helpfulness, but suggestions). Thou hidden love of God. My God, I love Thee not because. Come, O thou traveller unknown. Christ, whose glories fill the sky. Dies irs. Justin McCarthy, M.P. Adeste fideles. Lead, kindly light. Mrs. Alice Meynell. Abide with me. My God, my Father, while I stray. Sun of my soul. Art thou weary, art thou languid. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty. Sweet Saviour, bless us ere we go. Jesus lives. Our blest Redeemer. Professor Max Muller. Caput cruentatum (strong impression as a child). Lead, kindly light. APPENDIX III. 269 Professor Max Muller — Continued. Cometh sunshine after rain. Father, I know that all my life. Dr. Rigg. Jesu, Thy boundless love to me. — P. Gerhardt. Now I have found the ground whereon. — Rothe, translated by y. Wesley. Thou hidden love of God, Whose height. — Tersteegen, trans- lated by y. Wesley. Come, Saviour Jesus, from above. — Madame Bourignon. Weary of wandering from my God. — diaries Wesley. Lady Henry Somerset. The will of God. — Faber. Pilgrims. — A . Procter. My triumph. — Whittier. A first sorrow. M. H. Spielmann (Jewish). Adon '01am. Tigdal. Shemong. Rev. Thomas Spurgeon. There is a fountain filled with blood. The Duchess of Sutherland (who has compiled a private hymnal for use in Trentham Church). And now, O Father, mindful of the love. The President of the Wesleyan Conference (Rev. D. J. Waller). The God of Abraham praise. Ere God had built the mountains. Thou Shepherd of Israel and mine. There is a wideness in God's mercy. — Faber. Head Master of Harrow (Dr. Welldon). Hark I my soul, it is the Lord. Our God, our help in ages past. Rock of ages. Holy, holv, holy! Lord God Almighty. Archdeacon Wilson, of Manchester. Father, whate'er of earthly bliss. — Steele. Hov/ sweet the name of Jesus sounds. — Doddridge- Come, ye that love the Lord. — Watts. O Thou to whose all-searching sight. — y. Wesley. When all Thy mercies, O my God. — Addison. Jesus, whene'er Thy people meet. — Coivpcr. Glorious things of Thee are sjioken. — Newton. Thou hidden love of God. — Tersieegen and Wesley. Ken's and Keble's morning and evening hymns. There is a land of pure delight. — Watts. Who follow Christ whate'er betide. — C. Winkworih. 2/0 APPENDIX III. Archdeacon Wilson of Manchester — Continued. Who shall ascend to the Holy Place. — Hankifison. O love divine, how sweet thou art. — C. iVestey. Be Thou my guardian and my guide. — y. IViUiajns. My God, and is Thy table spread. — Doddridge. Charles Wesley. O for a thousand tongues to sing. Bishop Moorhouse (attaches the deepest and most sacred associations and memories of good). Jesu, Lover of my soul. My God, ray Father, while I stray. Sun of my soul. Thou Saviour dear. Our God, our help in ages past. O God of Bethel, by whose hand. Sir Evelyn Wood. Lead, kindly light. Fierce raged the tempest. And now, Father, mindful of the love. Eternal Father ! strong to save. John Wesley. Depth of mercy, can there be. INDEX OF FIRST LINES. PAGE A charge to keep I have 215 A few more years shall roll 241 A sure stronghold our God is He 53 Abide with me, fast falls the eventide 207 Adeste fideles 80 All hail the power of Jesu's name 29 All people that on earth do dwell 30 AUons, enfants de la Patrie 49 " Almost persuaded : " now to believe 177 Angels holy 37 Art thou weary, art thou languid 74 At even, ere the sun was set 209 At the cross her station keeping 86 Ave, Maria, gratia plena 236 Ave, maris Stella 237 Awake, my soul, and with the sun 202 Begone, unbelief . 119 Blessed Lord, in Thee is refuge 142 Brief life is here our portion 253 By Christ redeemed, in Christ restored 240 Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day 90 "Christian! seek not yet repose " 170 Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire 77 Come, let us join our friends above 244 Come, O Thou traveller unknown .' 154 Come, Thou fount of every blessing 196 Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched 179 Courage, brother! do not stumble 220 Curb for the stubborn steed 72 Day of wrath ! O day of mourning 96 De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine 94 Dies irse, dies ilia 98 Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott 54 Eternal Father, strong to save 239 Faith of our fathers ! living still 238 Father, I know that all my life 126 Father of All ! in ev'ry Age 224 Fear not, O little flock, the foe 58 For thee, O dear, dear country 255 Forward I be our watchword 171 From Greenland's icy mountains 173 Give me the wings of faith to rise 245 272 INDEX OF FIRST LINES. PAGB Give to the winds thy fears 124 Gloria in excelsis 69 Glory be to God on high 68 Glory to Thee, my God, this night 213 God bless our native land 44 God moves in a mysterious way 116 God save our gracious Queen 39 Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost 150 Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah no Hail, bright Star of ocean 236 Hail, gladdening Light, of His pure glory pour'd 70 Hail, Mary, full of grace 236 Hark, my soul I it is the Lord 145 Hark ! the herald angels sing 8i Have mercy upon me, O God 82 Heleadethme! Oh, blessed thought ._ 114 Hear what the voice from heaven proclaims 246 Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty 33 How blest the righteous when he dies 247 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds 187 I do not ask, O Lord, that life may be 114 I heard the voice of Jesus say 192 I lay me down to sleep 250 I live for those who love me . ._ 231 I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord 196 I to the hills will hft mine eyes 129 If the Lord me sorrow send 138 Immortal Love, for ever full . . . . _ 226 In some way or other the Lord vnW provide 118 In the Cross of Christ I glory 200 In the waves and mighty waters 257 Jerusalem, my happy home 231 Jerusalem the golden 256 Jesu dulcis memoria 187 Jesu! Lover of my soul 151 Jesus, and shall it ever be? i99 Jesus shall reign where'er the sun i75 Jesus, still lead on ii3 Jesus, the very thought of Thee 186 Just as I am, without one plea '44 Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom _ 107 Let God arise, and scattered let all his en'mies be 61 Let us, with a gladsome mind 34 Life! we 've been long together 247 Lo! He comes with clouds descending 100 Lord, it belongs not to my care . . . . _ .130 Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace .... 69 Lord of all being, throned afar 229 Love divine, all loves excelling 188 INDEX OF FIRST LINES. 2/3 PAGE Magnificat _ 67 Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord . . 59 Miserere mei, Deus 84 Must Jesus bear the Cross alone 199 My country! 'tis of thee 46 My God, I love Thee; not because 156 My God, my Father, blissful name 135 My God, my Father, while I stray 134 My soul doth magnify the Lord 66 Nearer, my God, to Thee 1S9 Now I have found the ground wherein 185 Now thank we all our God 31 Now the labourer's task is o'er 249 Nunc dimittis •....".... 70 O come, all ye faithful 79 O Deus, ego amo Te_ 157 O for a closer walk with God 164 O for a heart to praise my God 162 O give ye praise unto the Lord 62 O God of Bethel, by whose hand 1S2 O God of Truth, whose living word 163 O Jesu, King most wonderful 194 O Jesus, I have promised 165 O Lord, how happy should we be 132 O Love, that wilt not let me go 146 O Sacred Head once wounded 197 O Thou, from whom all goodness flows 136 O timely happy, timely wise 205 Oft in sorrow, oft in woe . 169 Oh for a thousand tongues to sing 190 Oh to be nothing, nothing . . . _ . 167 Onward, Christian soldiers! marching as to war 168 Our Blest Redeemer, ere He breathed 153 Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord 227 Our God, our help in ages past . . • 181 Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord .... 94 Pange lingua gloriosi 92 Peace, perfect peace .. 201 Praise God from Whom all blessings flow 33 Rescue the perishing, care for the dymg 222 Rock of Ages, cleft for me 139 Safe in the arms of Jesus i93 Saviour, again to Thy dear name we raise 210 Saviour, breathe an evening blessing 212 Saviour, when in dust to Thee . 102 Si scopron le tombe, si levano i morti 64 Sing, my tongue, the Saviour's glory 91 Sleep on, beloved, sleep, and take thy rest 248 So here hath been dawning , 204 18 274 INDEX OF FIRST LINES. PAGB Soldiers of Christ, arise 170 Souls of men ! why will ye scatter ._ 230 Sowing the seed by the dawn-light fair 223 Stabat Mater " ' Standing by a purpose true 221 Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear 206 Sweet Saviour, bless us ere we go 2H Take my life, and let it be 161 Te Deum laudamus 26 Tell me not, in mournful numbers 215 That day of wrath, that dreadful day 95 The Lord 's my shepherd, I '11 not want no The spacious firmament on high 232 The Universal Master reigned 234 There is a fountain filled with blood 148 There is a land of pure delight 252 There were ninety and nine 176 Thou hidden Love of God, whose height 191 Thy way, not mine, O Lord 132 Time is earnest, passing by 178 'T is my happiness below 133 Uplifted the tombstones 65 Veni, Creator 78 We plough the fields and scatter 242 We praise Thee, O God 24 When all Thy mercies, O my God 36 When gathering clouds around I view 117 When I survey the wondrous Cross 147 When our heads are bowed with woe loi When the weary, seeking rest 104 When wilt Thou save the people? 45 Without haste and without rest . . 217 Work, for the night is coming 219 Workman of God, O lose not heart 218 Ye sons of France, awake to glory 51 Yn y dyfroedd raawr a'r tonau 257 INDEX OF AUTHORS. Adams, Mrs 159 Addison, Joseph 36, 232 Alexander, Dr. (Translator) 197 Alford, Dean 171 Alstyne, Mrs. Van 193 Altenburg, Pastor 58 Anonymous. . . 24> 39i 79> "Si 167, 177, 178, 199, 215, 222, 223, 236, 238, 250, 257 INDEX OF AUTHORS. 275 PAGB Anstice, Rev. [Proi '32 Aquinas, Thomas 9' Auber, Harriet "S3 Banks, G. Linnsus 231 Barbauld, Mrs 247 Baring-Gould, Rev. S ^^'^ Baxter, Richard V' * '^° Bernard of Clairvaux 186, 194, 197 Bernard of Cluny aS3. 255. 256 Bickersteth, Bishop 201 Blackie, Prof. J. S 37 Bhss, PhiUp 221 Bode, Rev. J. E '^S Bonar, Horatius I04. >32, 192. 241 Booth, Herbert '42 Bowring, Sir John 200 Campbell, Miss T. M. (Translator) 242 Carlyle, Thomas 204 Carlyle, Thomas (Translator) S3 Caswall, E. (Translator) 156 Cennick, John, and Charles Wesley 100 Claudius, Matthias 242 Clephane, Elizabeth C 176 Cohen, Rev. F. L. (Translator) 234 Cosin, Bishop (Translator) 77 Cowper, William 116,133,145,148,164 Doddridge, Dr 182 Doudney, Miss Sarah 248 Edmeston, Dr 212 Ellerton, Rev. John 210, 249 Elliott, Charlotte 134, 144, 170 Elliott, Ebenezer 45 F. B. P 25 Faber, F. W 211, 218, 230 Gerhardt, Paulus 124 Gilmore, Joseph H 114 Goethe , 217 Grant, Sir Robert 102, 117 Gregg, Joseph igg Hart, Joseph 179 Havergal, Miss F. R 161 Haweis, Thomas 136 Hawks, Mrs. A. S 196 Heber, Bishop , .... 33, 173 Holmes, O. W .229 Howe, Julia Ward 59 Hughes, Tom ...., 163 Irons, Dr. (Translator) 96 Jacopone .. ••••....«....... 86 276 INDEX OF AUTHORS. PAGE Keble, John 205, 206 Keble, John (Translator) 70 Ken, Bishop 32, 202, 213 Kethe, W 30 Longfellow, Henry W 215 Luther, Martin S3 Lyte, Rev. H. F 207 Macleod, Dr. Norman 220 Matheson, Dr. 146 Mercantini, L. ...• 64 Milman, Dean loi Milton, John 34 Neale, Dr. (Translator) 74 Newman, Cardinal 107 Newton, John 119, 187 Perronet, E 29 Plumptre, Dean 72 Pope, Alexander 224 Procter, Adelaide 114 Rawson, George • 240 Rinkart, Martin 31 Robinson, Robert 196 Rothe, Johann Andreas 185 Rouget de Lille 49 Sankey, Ira D 219 Scott, Sir Walter (Translator) 95 Smith, Samuel Francis 46 Steele, Anne 135 Stephen the Sabaite o . . . . 74 Tersteegen, Gerhard 191 Toplady, Rev. A. M 139 Twells, H. 2og Waring, Miss 126 Watts, Dr. Isaac 147, 175, 181, 245^ 246, 252 Wesley, Charles .... 81, 90, 151, 154, 162, 170, 188, 190, 244 Wesley, Charles, and John Cennick 100 Wesley, John (Translator) 124, 185, 191 White, Henry Kirke 169 Whiting, William 239 Whittier, J. G 226, 227 Williams, William no Willich, Ernst von 138 Winkworth, Catherine (Translator) 31 Wordsworth, Bishop 150 Xavier, Francis. •.•.••.•.156 Zinzendorf, Count ••......113 Jd-^ 1^'-^ Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 1 1012 01210 9056